Theodore McCarrick, the ex-archbishop of Washington who was accused of sexually abusing Minors as well as adults have passed away, as stated by his successor, Cardinal Robert McElroy.
"Today I heard about the passing of Theodore McCarrick, the ex-Archbishop of Washington. At this time, my thoughts are particularly with those he hurt throughout his service as a priest," stated McElroy from Washington.
Despite their ongoing suffering, let us continue to pray for them and for every victim of sexual abuse.
According to Vatican News, McCarrick was 94 years old.
In 2018, McCarrick stepped down from his position as a Cardinal in the Church, and then in 2019, he was expelled from the priesthood by the Vatican following a conviction for sexually abusing minors within the religious community.
Before the accusations surfaced, McCarrick was known as an influential socialite, frequent traveler, and skilled fundraiser with strong connections to key figures in both the Vatican and Washington D.C. However, the ensuing scandal triggered a significant crisis within both the American Catholic Church and the Vatican, considering that he managed to advance within the ecclesiastical hierarchy even though high-ranking officials were aware of claims regarding his inappropriate behavior.
His case stood out as one of the most prominent child-abuse scandals within the U.S. Catholic Church because he held the distinction of being the highest-ranking clergy member in the nation to be hit with criminal accusations related to such abuses. Additionally, he became the first bishop in recent history to have his cardinal status revoked.
McCarrick would subsequently face criminal charges. charged With three charges of indecent assault and battery involving someone over 14 years old — he entered a plea of not guilty. According to the documents, in one instance, McCarrick allegedly attacked the victim, a teenager, during a wedding reception in Massachusetts back in 1974. However, as of 2023, McCarrick maintained his innocence. deemed not fit to appear in court because of dementia.
In 2018, Pope Francis ordered an inquiry into the McCarrick case after allegations about a minor were brought forward, followed by a dossier from the once-exiled former papal ambassador, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, who called for Francis’s resignation. over the McCarrick case.
The Vatican’s report—which spanned 449 pages and marked the initial comprehensive internal investigation by the Vatican into a prominent abuse case with released conclusions—revealed that the deceased Pope John Paul II had named McCarrick as the Archbishop of Washington, D.C., and elevated him to cardinal status even though he knew about McCarrick’s misconduct. allegations of misconduct with adults.
The report revealed that by the year 2000, the Vatican had become cognizant of accusations alleging McCarrick engaged in sexual impropriety with another clergy member. was known for sleeping alongside young adult males and novice priests.
Francis, who underwent interrogation by the investigation team, discovered that he had received no documents pertaining to the accusations against McCarrick. When the claim involving a minor came to light, the Pope took action by removing McCarrick from his position in the College of Cardinals and initiated an ecclesiastical trial process.
McCarrick became a priest in 1958 and served as the Archbishop of Newark from 1986 until 2000 when he was named Archbishop of Washington D.C. In 2001, he was elevated to the rank of cardinal.
This is an evolving narrative and will see updates going forward.
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