FILE - In this April 17, 2008 record photo, Bishop Christopher Saunders of Broome tries to play a digeridoo during a World Youth time 2008 media lawsuit successful Sydney, Australia. Pope Francis has replaced Bishop Christopher Saunders, who stepped down amid a Vatican probe into what Australian media person described arsenic allegations of intersexual misconduct. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith)

FILE - In this April 17, 2008 record photo, Bishop Christopher Saunders of Broome tries to play a digeridoo during a World Youth time 2008 media lawsuit successful Sydney, Australia. Pope Francis has replaced Bishop Christopher Saunders, who stepped down amid a Vatican probe into what Australian media person described arsenic allegations of intersexual misconduct. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith) (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis connected Saturday replaced an Australian bishop who stepped down amid a Vatican probe into what Australian media person described arsenic allegations of intersexual misconduct.

The Vatican said Francis accepted Bishop Christopher Alan Saunders’ resignation arsenic caput of the Broome diocese successful occidental Australia. Francis appointed different prelate, Bishop Michael Henry Morrissey of the Geraldton diocese, to temporarily administer the sprawling Catholic diocese successful Broome.

The Vatican, successful keeping with its customized for announcing bishop resignations, did not mention a crushed for replacing Saunders. At 71, helium is 4 years younger than the property erstwhile the Vatican requires bishops to connection their resignations to the pontiff.

Australian media person quoted Saunders arsenic powerfully denying immoderate wrongdoing and voluntarily offering to measurement aside. The Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported earlier this twelvemonth that constabulary and prosecutors decided against filing transgression charges.

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Parishioners successful the diocese were informed successful May that the Vatican probe was ongoing, according to Australian media reports.

Details of the lawsuit weren't instantly available. Saunders has reportedly been connected sabbatical.

After decades of intersexual maltreatment scandals successful galore nations, Pope Francis has vowed to basal retired predator clergy. Cases involving bishops who systematically covered up for specified priests besides led Francis to effort to rebuild the collapsed spot of galore faithful by pledging to bring accountability to the religion hierarchy.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This worldly whitethorn not beryllium published, broadcast, rewritten oregon redistributed without permission.