THERE HAS BEEN a highly charged atmosphere in Rome and in parts of the Catholic world following Archbishop Carlo Viganò’s “testimony” alleging that the Pope lifted sanctions imposed on a corrupt cardinal by his predecessor, calling him for him to resign, along with several other high-ranking prelates.

But the following story reminds us to hold on to that still, small voice of calm: remember the principle of innocent until proven guilty. On board the plane from Dublin to Rome last Sunday evening, Pope Francis told the journalists who were travelling with him how in 2014 a young man he called “Daniel” had written a five-page letter to the Pope saying he had been abused by a priest in Spain. Francis told him to report the case and called the 23-year-old. “I could not help feeling terribly pained in reading your story,” he told him. “I want to apologise to you on behalf of the entire Church of Christ”. Francis asked Daniel to join the papal commission for the protection of minors. He did not accept.