French cardinal steps up his defence as pressure mounts for his resignation over child abuse scandal

Cardinal Philippe Barbarin has stepped up his defence as pressure mounts for him to quit his post as archbishop of Lyon amid accusations of covering up for three priests accused of sexually abusing children.

The cardinal, one of the most prominent Church leaders in France, has rejected calls to resign and explained his position to brother bishops at their spring plenary meeting in Lourdes last week. Marseille Archbishop Georges Pontier, head of the conference, expressed the group's "prayers and friendship" for Barbarin.

The Lyon archdiocese has hired a public relations firm to help with communications. Known as a man who speaks his mind, Barbarin did not help his image by remarking last week during a discussion of the abuses cases that most of them were "beyond the statute of limitations, thank God".

Supporters have collected dozens of signatures backing the cardinal and parishioners gave him a warm welcome when he presided at the Palm Sunday mass in Lyon’s cathedral.

But a petition for his resignation, due to be sent to Pope Francis, has gathered over 70,000 signatures and media coverage of the issue has been mostly negative.

After a call for Barbarin to "face up to his responsibility" from Prime Minister Manuel Valls, the government's state secretary for aid to victims called for his resignation and his education and family affairs ministers both stressed zero tolerance for anyone committing or absolving abuse.

An opinion poll for Le Parisien newspaper said that 63 per cent of all those questioned wanted Barbarin to quit. Among practicing Catholics, who made up 10 per cent of the sample group, 62 per cent said he should stay.

Asked about sexual abuse in the Church, 88 per cent said the hierarchy covered it up and 67 per cent said the cases were frequent. Forty-one percent said the cases were exaggerated by the media.

Asked about reforms in the Church, 88 per cent of all respondents said the Vatican should allow artificial contraception, 86 per cent backed a married priesthood and Church remarriage of divorced people, and 81 per cent favoured women priests.