The Holy See has published, today, Tuesday, November 10, the report that the Secretariat of State has drawn up on the once Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. The Vatican investigation confirmed in 2019 rumors of sexual abuse committed by McCarrick over the years, which led Pope Francis to expel him from the clerical state.
The McCarrick case prompted the Vatican and Pope Francis to take steps to expand the investigation of bishops accused of abuse by approving new procedures to put an end to this trend.
The background
On June 20, 2018, the Archdiocese of New York announced that it had determined as "credible and well-founded" an accusation of sexual abuse of a minor by Cardinal McCarrick. The allegation was brought by a former altar boy who claimed that McCarrick had fondled him as a teenager during preparations for Christmas Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in 1971 and 1972. It was first indictment against McCarrick involving a minorand the one that triggered the investigation.
Same day, the former Dioceses of Newark and Metuchen in New JerseyThe FBI's investigation into McCarrick's sexual misconduct, the FBI said it had resolved two of McCarrick's three allegations of sexual misconduct, involving adults between 2005 and 2007. Subsequently, James Grein came forward detailing abuse he also suffered since he was 11 years old by McCarrick, who was a family friend. These revelations have since led to other former seminarians describing the harassment and abuse they suffered when McCarrick, as his bishop in New Jersey, forced them to sleep in his bed during weekend trips to his beach house.
Holy See investigation
Pope Francis ordered the investigation carried out by the Archdiocese of New York, which is transmitted to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in June 2018.. Then, the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, following the Pope's instructions communicates the prohibition of the exercise of public ministry and the obligation to lead a life of prayer and penance. July 28, 2018, Pope Accepts McCarrick's Resignation from College of Cardinals.
October 6, 2018, a communiqué from the Holy See firmly declares: "Both abuse and its cover-up can no longer be tolerated and different treatment for bishops who have committed or covered them represents a form of clericalism that should not be accepted.". And reiterates the "urgent invitation"of Pope Francis".a joining forces to combat the serious scourge of abuse within and outside the Church and to prevent these crimes from being committed against the most innocent and vulnerable members of society.". In view of the meeting held at the Vatican with the presidents of the Bishops' Conferences from around the world from February 21 to 24, 2019, he finally underlined the words of the Pope in the Letter to the People of God: "The only way we have to respond to this evil that takes so many lives is to live it as a task that involves and affects us all as the People of God. This awareness of feeling part of a common people and a common history will allow us to recognize our sins and errors of the past with a penitential openness capable of allowing ourselves to be renewed from within.".
McCarrick's reaction
The former Cardinal McCarrick declared his innocence of the accusation of caresses, but accepted the Pope's sanctions.
"Although I have absolutely no recollection of this abuse being reported, and I believe in my innocence, I regret the pain that the person who filed the charges has suffered, as well as the scandal. that such charges cause to our people" he said in a statement on June 20, 2018, after initial allegations of fondling were corroborated.
In a 2008 email McCarrick sent to the Vatican, he denied having had sexual relations with anyone, but said he had shown a "unfortunate lack of judgment"for having shared his bed with seminarians.
Resignation from the clerical state
January 11, 2019, a few months after the investigation was transferred to the Holy See, Theodore McCarrick was declared resigned from the clerical state.at the age of 88. This was communicated by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.:
"On January 11, 2019, the Congress of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued the final decree of the criminal proceedings against Theodore Edgar McCarrick, archbishop emeritus of Washington DC, for which the accused was convicted of the following crimes perpetrated as a clericsolicitations in confession and violations of the sixth commandment of the Decalogue with minors and adults, with the circumstance of aggravating circumstance of abuse of powerThe penalty of resignation from the clerical state was imposed on him. On February 13, 2019, the ordinary session (Fair IV) of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith examined the arguments presented in the appeal by the appellant and decided to confirm the decree of the Congress. This decision was communicated to Theodore McCarrick on February 15, 2019. The Holy Father has recognized the definitive nature of this decision, according to the norm of law, which makes the case res iudicata, that is, not subject to further appeal.".
Today we already know the "Report on the institutional knowledge and decision-making process of the Holy See regarding former Cardinal Theodore Edgar Cardinal McCarrick (from 1930 to 2017).The "The World Council of Churches", prepared by the Secretariat of State under the mandate of Pope Francis.
