The Vatican report blamed a host of bishops, cardinals and popes for downplaying and dismissing mountains of evidence of McCarrick’s misconduct starting in the 1990s — but largely spared Francis. Francis defrocked the 90-year-old McCarrick last year after a separate Vatican investigation found he sexually abused children as well as adults. Noting that Wednesday marked Poland's independence day, Francis quoted John Paul as telling young people what it means to be truly free. “While we thank the Lord for the gift of national and personal freedom, what St. John Paul II taught young people comes to mind," Francis said. John Paul initially agreed.