Pope accepts resignation of French cardinal: church

French cardinal is accused of shielding a child-molesting priest

LYON: The Pope has accepted the resignation of French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, whose conviction for shielding an alleged child-molesting priest was overturned on appeal last month, the Catholic Church in Lyon said Friday.

Barbarin, who will now step down as Archbishop of Lyon, was given a six-month suspended jail sentence last March for not reporting a priest in his diocese who had allegedly abused dozens of boy scouts in the 1980s and 1990s.

Last month, appeals judges said Barbarin should have reported the priest, but could not be held criminally liable for his failure.