Pope Francis on Wednesday vowed to “uproot evil” in the church after an explosive report detailed its mishandling of sexual misconduct allegations against ex-US Cardinal Theodore McCarrick.

“Yesterday, the report about the painful case of ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick was published. I renew my closeness to the victims of every abuse and the commitment of the Church to uproot this evil,” Francis said before closing his eyes to pray.

The report published the findings from a two-year investigation into McCarrick, a former cardinal who was defrocked last year after an investigation into sexual abuse allegations.

In the 460-page report, the Vatican revealed McCarrick was able to become a high-ranking figure in the church as bishops, cardinals and popes downplayed or dismissed reports that he slept with seminarians.

The report said that the late Pope John Paul II promoted McCarrick despite being aware of sexual abuse allegations against him, then former Pope Benedict XVI declined to investigate or sanction the cardinal when he received “similar” information.

Francis, however, was largely absolved of wrongdoing in the report, which claimed that he didn’t act because he believed the “allegations had already been reviewed and rejected by Pope John Paul II.”

But when the first allegation that McCarrick sexually abused a minor emerged in 2018, Francis’ response was “immediate” and he kicked the former cardinal out of the priesthood, according to the report.

With Post wires