French Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard said on Monday that he had abused a 14-year-old girl decades ago and he would withdraw from his functions.
"Thirty-five years ago, when I was a parish priest, I behaved in a reprehensible way with a young girl aged 14. My behaviour has inevitably led to grave and lasting consequences for this person," Ricard said in a statement.
Ricard asked for forgiveness and said he would withdraw from his functions and be available for legal and church authorities. He was bishop in the southwest region of Bordeaux from 2001 to 2019.
