Wuerl was accused in a recent Pennsylvania grand jury report of failing to address the rampant sexual abuse of minors by the clergy during his time as bishop of Pittsburgh. The report, which identifies over than 1,000 victims abused by more than 300 priests over a 70-year period, accuses Wuerl of transferring abusive priests to different parishes and concealing their abuse from parishioners and law enforcement.

Demands for his resignation began immediately after the grand jury report was released and intensified following Cardinal Maria Vigano’s open letter, which accused Wuerl and Pope Francis of enabling Cardinal Theodore McCarrick to continue his ministry long after they were aware he had sexual relations with numerous seminarians and was under investigation for molesting a 14-year-old boy.