Archbishop Vigano now says Pope Benedict made the sanctions private, perhaps “due to the fact that [Archbishop McCarrick] was already retired, maybe due to the fact that [Pope Benedict] was thinking he was ready to obey.”

A Vatican source said: “The archbishop seems to have declared open war on Pope Francis and the Vatican.”

In the Vatican there are feelings of “bitter disappointment” and “restlessness.”

Francis made a leadership correction while in Argentina; he can still bring the church to a space of humility and wisdom in response to the sexual abuse crisis.

Cardinal Burke was among the first of a small number of bishops to come out in support of Viganò’s denunciation of the pope.

Sources close to the pope said that “he has no intention of resigning.”