The state’s attorney general, Josh Shapiro, who is leading the investigation, told NBC’s “Today” show on Tuesday that the grand jury uncovered evidence that the Vatican had knowledge of a “systematic cover-up,” but that he could speak specifically about Pope Francis.
Viganò’s accusations, coupled with the Pennsylvania report, have led to a crisis of confidence in the U.S. church, and Walsh said there have even been calls for all American archbishops to resign over the scandal.
Several high-ranking members of the clergy named in Viganò’s letter have issued statements denying claims they knew of allegations against McCarrick years ago or helped to cover up his alleged abuse.
The archdiocese of Washington issued a statement on Monday denying that Viganò had provided Archbishop Cardinal Donald Wuerl with any information over the alleged sanctions against McCarrick.
“Cardinal Wuerl has indicated that during his entire tenure as archbishop of Washington no one has come forward to say to him, ‘Cardinal McCarrick abused me’ or made any other like claim,” it said.
Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, the archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, said Viganò’s letter contained “factual errors, innuendo and fearful ideology.”
As the divisions are laid bare, several members of the clergy have made their allegiances clear, with some vouching for the credibility of Francis and others backing Viganò.
Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago rushed to the pope’s defense. “My experience with the Pope is that as soon as he knows about something, he acts on it,” he told NBC Chicago.
In a separate statement Cupich — who was accused by Viganò of being part of a “wicked pact of abuses” and “cover-up of abuses” — said he considered the remarks to be “astonishing” and denied any wrongdoing.
Walsh said Cupich is considered to be a modernizer in the church and that his appointment to the archdiocese of Chicago was celebrated among liberals.
But Viganò also has his backers, including Jean-François Lantheaume, the former first counselor at the apostolic nunciature in Washington.
In his letter, Viganò claims Lantheaume told him about a “stormy conversation” between Pietro Sambi, Viganò’s predecessor as Vatican ambassador, and McCarrick, as Sambi informed McCarrick of the sanctions imposed on him by Benedict.
“Viganò said the truth. That’s all,” Lantheaume told the Catholic News Agency, declining to comment further.
Meanwhile, both the Vatican and the pontiff have stayed mum.
Francis on Sunday declined to say whether he was told about the allegations against McCarrick in 2013. He told reporters aboard the papal plane as he was leaving Ireland that he had read the statement but that he wouldn’t comment on it, adding that the text “speaks for itself.”
“I won’t say a word about it,” he added.