Alleged love story, the archbishop of Paris resigns, his words

The Archbishop of Paris, Michael Aupetit, submitted his resignation to Papa Francesco.

This was announced by the spokesman of the French diocese, underlining that the resignation was presented after the magazine The Point earlier this month he had written about one alleged love story with a woman.

"He had ambiguous behavior with a person he was very close to," said the spokesperson but added that it was not "a love affair" or sexual.

The presentation of his resignation is not "an admission of guilt, but a humble gesture, an offer of dialogue," he added. The French Church is still recovering from the publication in October of a devastating report by an independent commission that estimated that Catholic clergy have abused 216.000 children since 1950.

What the prelate said to the French press

The prelate, with a past as a bioethicist, was accused by a journalistic investigation by 'Le Point' which attributes to him a relationship with a woman dating back to 2012.

Aupetit to 'Le Point' explained: “When I was vicar general, a woman came to life several times with visits, emails, etc., to the point that sometimes I had to make arrangements to distance ourselves. However, I recognize that my behavior towards him may have been ambiguous, thus suggesting the existence between us of an intimate relationship and sexual relations, which I strongly deny. At the beginning of 2012, I informed my spiritual director and, after discussing with the archbishop of Paris of that time (Cardinal André Vingt-Trois), I decided not to see her again and I informed her. In spring 2020, after recalling this old situation with my vicars general, I notified the authorities of the Church ”.