Theodore McCarrick, the once-influential Catholic cardinal who was defrocked in 2019 after being found guilty of sexual abuse, has died at 94. Archbishop Robert McElroy's statement emphasized the lasting pain experienced by McCarrick's victims. Reports revealed that McCarrick had a history of misconduct, despite warnings that were ignored by the church hierarchy. A Vatican investigation highlighted that Pope John Paul II appointed McCarrick in 2000, despite evidence of his sexual misconduct. The scandal posed a serious crisis for the church, which grappled with the implications of systemic failures over decades.
At this moment I am especially mindful of those who he harmed during the course of his priestly ministry. Through their enduring pain, may we remain steadfast in our prayers for them and for all victims of sexual abuse.
The McCarrick scandal created a crisis of credibility for the church, primarily because there was evidence Vatican and U.S. church leaders knew he slept with seminarians but turned a blind eye.
Despite having commissioned an inquiry that confirmed he slept with seminarians, Pope John Paul II appointed McCarrick archbishop of Washington, D.C., in 2000.
Reports of McCarrick's misconduct were dismissed or downplayed for decades by bishops, cardinals, and popes as he rose to become a cardinal and archbishop.
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