Posted on 07/20/2018 12:35:19 PM PDT by ebb tide
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. (Credit: US Institute of Peace, cc by nc 2.0 via CNA.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. - A Virginia man filed a police report Monday, alleging that from the age of 11 he was sexually abused and assaulted serially by now-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who was a priest of the Archdiocese of New York when the abuse was alleged to have begun.
The New York Times reported July 19 the man’s allegation, that McCarrick began sexually abusing him in 1969, when the priest was 39 and the man, “James,” whose full name has not been reported, was 11 years old. McCarrick was reportedly a friend to the alleged victim’s family.
The man says that he continued to be sexually abused by McCarrick for almost two decades, the Times reported.
The man claims that the abuse contributed to alcohol and drug habits that plagued him for years. He also says that he attempted to disclose the abuse to his father several years after it began, but was disbelieved, according to the Times.
RELATED: As McCarrick spotlight grows, is revoking honors sensitivity or whitewash?
In 1969, when the abuse is alleged to have begun, McCarrick ended a four-year term as president of the Catholic University of Puerto Rico, and became assistant secretary for education in the Archdiocese of New York. In 1977, he become auxiliary bishop of New York, and later became the Bishop of Metuchen, Archbishop of Newark, and, eventually, Archbishop of Washington.
Criminal statutes of limitation may prevent McCarrick from being charged with crimes relating to the abuse alleged Monday. A canonical statute of limitations, known technically as prescription, might also preclude the possibility that McCarrick face canonical charges for the alleged abuse, although the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is authorized to waive that statute in certain circumstances.
RELATED: McCarrick case points to shift in culture, child protection experts say
Joseph Zwilling, spokesman for the Archdiocese of New York, told CNA Thursday that the archdiocese learned of these allegations only when the New York Times article was published.
The archdiocese has not heard from law enforcement agencies about this matter, or from the alleged victim or his attorney, Zwilling said, adding that he hopes the victim or his attorney will contact the archdiocese, directly, or through the archdiocese’s Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program, an independently managed entity designed to assist victims of clerical sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of New York.
A source close to McCarrick told CNA that he had not received any official notification of the allegation and is therefore unable to respond. The source said the cardinal is committed to following the processes put in place by Church authorities regarding the allegations.
On June 20, the Archdiocese of New York, announced that it had concluded an investigation into a different allegation that McCarrick had sexually abused a teenager, finding the claim to be “credible and substantiated.”
The Vatican was informed of that accusation, and as a result, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, by order of Pope Francis, prohibited McCarrick, 88, from public ministry.
Since that announcement, media reports have detailed additional allegations, charging that McCarrick sexually abused, assaulted, or coerced seminarians and young priests during his time as a bishop. The Diocese of Metuchen and Archdiocese of Newark disclosed that they had received reports that McCarrick engaged in sexual misconduct with adults, and reached legal and financial settlements in two cases.
RELATED: McCarrick case shows Church must pay attention to misconduct with adults
The cardinal is prohibited from contact with minors in the Archdiocese of Washington, pursuant to the archdiocesan safe environment policies, a spokesman for the archdiocese told CNA, though that prohibition was not publicly announced when McCarrick’s prohibition from public ministry June 20 was.
McCarrick is reportedly now living at a Catholic nursing facility administered by religious sisters. The cardinal has not been publicly prohibited from contact with minors, a precautionary step often taken when a priest is being investigated for an allegation of abuse against a minor.
The Vatican has not announced if McCarrick will face canonical charges related to the initial allegation of sexual abuse. Sources tell CNA that the matter is being addressed at the Vatican under the direct supervision of Francis.
It’s getting to the point someone can recover a memory of a bishop shaking hands too firmly 17 years prior and that entitles the “victim” to $500,000 compensation.
Too many inconsistencies in McCarrick stories, and church’s position is all priests accused go under bus for PR. The Cardinal was an active homo with ADULT men who were also homos. Gross, but not against the law and not sex abuse. There is more info hidden than out.
This is horrible and my heart goes out to the victims. But what the MSM is unwilling to state is the fact such behavior is by no means atypical for homosexuals. Hebephilia is even defended by them and looked upon as a sort of mentoring. (I know, Jesus wept.) Even more prevalent is Ephebophilia which does seem to be the majority of complaints against McCarrick.
From the accounts McCarrick used his position to coerce seminarians into behaviors they were at the lease uncomfortable with. It would be difficult to claim that consent was given when the persons involved were on such an unequal footing. McCarrick had a lot of power he could have used against these young men. What he did was wrong. And it was abuse.
How come nobody could come forward to say that when it was actually going on, and McCarrick’s ecclesiastical career could have been justly derailed early on?
But people did come forward.
http://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/douthat-on-uncle-ted-mccarrick-purgatory/
I have no answer for the lack of response except for the age old on of sin.
I apologize for not being able to link to the original NYT column by Ross Douhat. Perhaps you will have better luck.
Thank you for reply! I see this better now. Power and intimidation, combined with trust of priesthood. Look at snapshot of boy and McC on Vox Cantoris website- it shows in every line and gesture of the 2 figures! One strong and commanding and grabbing, the other shy, shrugging, frowning, deferential, etc.
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