Pittsburgh native Cardinal Donald Wuerl is retiring.

Wuerl is expected to resign from his role as a member of the Congregation for Bishops on Nov. 12 when he turns the mandatory retirement age of 80, according to a report by National Catholic Reporter.

The retirement comes two years after Wuerl resigned as the archbishop of Washington, D.C., after being named in a Pennsylvania grand jury report accusing church leaders of covering up sexual misconduct.

Wuerl was appointed bishop of Pittsburgh in 1988 and spent 18 years in that post.

In 2018, he was criticized following the release of the grand jury report, which found Wuerl had reassigned priests who had been accused of sexually abusing children. That same year, the Diocese of Pittsburgh removed his name from Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School.

Wuerl was appointed in 2006 to replace former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick in Washington by Pope Benedict XVI, who made Wuerl a cardinal in 2010.

McCarrick was defrocked following allegations of sexual misconduct and Wuerl had denied knowing of any specific allegation of abuse made against McCarrick. However, in 2018, Wuerl is reported to have acknowledged speaking to Vatican nuncio Archbishop Montalvo about one allegation in 2004.

Wuerl, who was expected to be named in a Vatican report Tuesday about McCarrick, has served as a member of the Congregation for Bishops on appointment by Pope Francis since 2013.

Once he turns 80, Wuerl will no longer be eligible to vote on the selection of a new pope. But he can continue to serve in ceremonial and advisory roles.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)