Rebel priest takes on church hierarchy over sex abuse…
French rebel priest takes on church hierarchy over sex abuse
http://archive.today/2018.09.06-163602/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/french-rebel-priest-pierre-vignon-lyon-archbishop-philippe-barbarin-sex-abuse/
SAINT-MARTIN-EN-VERCORS, France – When a lowly Roman Catholic father rebels against the church hierarchy, publicly castigating a prominent cardinal's handling of child sex-abuse cases, is that an act of backstabbing against the institution he serves or a brave solo effort to help save it? That is the debate provoked by the actions of a priest in France, with his remarkable step of petitioning the cardinal to resign. Judging from the sheaf of letters and cards that Rev. Pierre Vignon is clutching in his soft, plump hands, his uprising has divided churchgoers. To hate-mailers, the previously anonymous 64-year-old propelled into the spotlight by his online petition launched two weeks ago is an attention-grabbing egomaniac who is courting disaster by taking on the influential archbishop of the southeastern city of Lyon.
But mostly, Vignon says, those writing to him are supportive. They include people who have themselves been abused by predator priests. He plucks one such "thank you" card from the pile and reads out loud. "Because of you I want to go back to church," its author wrote. "When I do, I will think of the victims." "I have always been unmanageable," Vignon says proudly. "There comes a moment when one has to say 'No! No more, that's enough!' That's what I said: 'Enough.'"
On this day, Vignon is particularly buoyant because his petition on change.org has just garnered its 100,000th signature, a milestone that heaps more pressure on church leaders to choose sides. After clambering out of his hoarse-sounding Fiat Panda, Vignon whipped out his mobile phone to show how a friend texted him blow-by-blow updates: 99,980 signatures, 99,990, 99,995, and, finally, four minutes later, 100,000. "Champagne!!" messaged another friend. With a glint in his eye, Vignon couldn't help but gloat. "I don't know if Cardinal Barbarin will forgive me this joke, but he has such colossal energy, which I don't have, that he is often nicknamed 'The 100,000-volt cardinal.' Now, unfortunately, he's going to become the 100,000-vote cardinal,'" Vignon said.