A current bishop accused of covering sexual abuse allegations resigned following a Vatican investigation.
Current Bishop Resigns After Allegations of Covering Up Sexual Abuse Cases During His Leadership
65-year-old Richard Stika, current bishop of Tennessee, resigned following a Vatican investigation after allegedly using his authority to cover up sexual abuse cases during his leadership.
According to a report from AP News, the current bishop covered up sexual abuse cases filed against a seminarian who was sued for harassment and rape and a priest accused of sexual assault by defending them and letting them continue their services.
Aside from covering up the two sexual abuse cases against the seminarian and the priest, the current bishop was also subjected to complaints about abusing his power and his horrible behavior against other priests, which led to the Vatican investigation.
READ ALSO: Catholic Priest Gets A Year In Prison After Guilty Of Assaulting A 5-Year-Old Boy In 1987
Current Bishop Denies Covering Up Sexual Abuse Allegations and Defends His Actions Following His Resignation
Following his resignation, the current bishop defended himself and claimed that he did not resign because of the allegations filed against him but decided to resign due to health complications, including heart problems and diabetes.
The current bishop also denied covering up the sexual abuse allegations against the seminarian and the priest and stated that he never tolerated sexual misconduct during his leadership.
READ ALSO: Priests Convicted To 6 Counts Of Sex Trafficking In Ohio