On June 20, His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan revealed an investigation into an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor against Theodore Cardinal McCarrick by the Archdiocesan Review Board, a seasoned group of professionals including jurists, law enforcement experts, parents, psychologists, a priest, and a religious sister. The review board found the allegations “credible and substantiated.”
From the statement: “The Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, at the direction of Pope Francis, has instructed Cardinal McCarrick that he is no longer to exercise publicly his priestly ministry. Cardinal McCarrick, while maintaining his innocence, has accepted the decision.”
The Archdiocese of Newark, N.J., also issued a statement, revealing that Cardinal McCarrick had been accused of engaging in sexual behavior with adults: “This Archdiocese and the Diocese of Metuchen received three allegations of sexual misconduct with adults decades ago; two of these allegations resulted in settlements.”
Joseph Cardinal Tobin, archbishop of Newark, wrote in the statement:
I recognize that the people of our Archdiocese meet the announcement by the Archdiocese of New York of a credible and substantiated claim of abuse of a minor by Cardinal McCarrick with a range of emotions. I am thinking particularly of those who have experienced the trauma of sexual abuse by clergy – whose lives have been impacted tragically by abuse. To those survivors, their families and loved ones, I offer my sincere apologies and my commitment of prayer and action to support you in your healing.
Accordingly, the University Board of Trustees has voted to rescind Cardinal McCarrick’s honorary degree and other honors the University has conferred upon him. In taking these steps, we acknowledge the extraordinary and long-lasting harm done to children who were sexually abused by clergy members. While we can never fully repair the sins of the past, we must respect the experience of abuse survivors, and accord them all the love and compassion of which we are capable.
Joseph M. McShane, SJ, President
