A retired Bolivian bishop recently selected by Pope Francis to be made a cardinal is denying claims that he fathered two children and had a wife while serving as a bishop.

Toribio Ticona Porco has threatened to take legal action if the reports continued.

In a statement released by the Bolivian bishops' conference, Ticona said that the allegations contained in the 'false report' first published in the Spanish 'Adelante la Fe' blog 'do not correspond to the truth'.

He added: 'If these accusations persist, I will have no problem in launching a legal complaint for libel against those who promote or spread it.'

Pope Francis announced on May 20 that he would make the retired prelate a cardinal along with 13 other churchmen from around the world on June 28.

The Catholic news website Crux noted that Tocona is known for his humble beginnings as a shoe shiner and a miner, and served as a missionary priest and auxiliary bishop before being named head of the Territorial Prelature of Corocoro in 1992 by St John Paul II.

The report in 'Adelante en la Fe' alleged that while leading the prelature of Corocoro, Ticona lived in the Diocese of Oruro where he 'maintained a marital life with a woman' and fathered several children.

The report, on May 28, also asserted that news of the bishop's family 'was public knowledge' and that the alleged family 'were proud to call themselves the wife and children of the bishop of Patacamaya,' referring to a nearby Bolivian municipality.

A follow-up article on the blog claimed they had obtained copies of 'first-hand testimony' by witnesses in the diocese of Oruro that were given to a Vatican representative in Bolivia.

Ticona said in his statement that rumours regarding a secret family first surfaced in 2011 and claimed they had been revealed to be 'simple calumnies'.

He also said that though he was 'completely puzzled' by the claims, he was 'willing to defend my honour' and demanded those from the city of Oruro who made the accusations 'fully identify themselves'.

He said: 'I interpret this calumny as an attack, not so much on my person, but on the person of Pope Francis. They are attacks that come from sources known for their hostility toward the Holy Father.'

Ticona is 81 years old, and therefore would not be eligible to vote for Pope Francis' successor in the next papal conclave.

Meanwhile, LifeSite News says it has has obtained a copy of the testimony letter given to the Vatican official, which names five individuals as having knowledge about the bishop's alleged affair, which LifeSite said was with a concubine.