Australian Archbishop Wilson Resigns Amid Sexual Abuse Cover-Up Scandal

According to the Vatican, Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of the Australian Archbishop Philip Wilson, one of the most senior Catholic clerics in the world, who had been found guilty of concealing child sex abuse.

"His decision to resign comes after considering his future following his conviction for failing to report allegations of child sexual abuse that occurred in the 1970s," the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference stated, confirming Wilson's resignation.

READ MORE: All Chilean Bishops Offer to Resign Due to Cover-Up of Child Abuse — Reports

The archbishop was sentenced to 12 months' detention earlier this month for covering up the sexual abuse of two altar boys by pedophile priest James Fletcher during the 1970s. According to the reports, Wilson knew about the issue since 1976, when the victims had confessed to him, but failed to do anything.

This is not the first case of child molestation this year. On Saturday, a prominent leader among US Catholics Cardinal McCarrick stepped down due to sexual assault accusations, and earlier Chilean bishops had offered to resign due to a cover-up over years of child molestation, carried out by an influential Chilean priest Fernando Karadima.