Who knows if this latest allegation is true. But McCarrick is definitely a predator. Now, here’s what bothers me. McCarrick was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II. So either:
A. John Paul was incredibly - and dangerously - naive.
B. John Paul knew, but didn’t care.
Either possibility bothers me, as I once had great respect for John Paul.
I would think it was the first, but still not good.
JP2 was a great man, a genius and a saint. He was also (rare) pure of heart. He did not see individual evil characteristics in people, especially cunning men like Maciel and McCarrick, who were masters at deception.
I have read that JPII dismissed allegations of sexual sins bc in communist Poland the government used to make fake allegations against priests. He thought it was more of the same.
McCarrick spent a lot of time in the Vatican during those years and brought his favorite altar boys with him from his diocese. Certainly some in the vatican knew.
How about C:
John Paul was somewhat naive
John Paul came from a world where authorities often tried to tear the Church apart through vicious lies and half- ans quarter-truths
John Paul’s courtiers lied to him often and shamelessly
John Paul had a difficult time believing priests could sink this low (I know I once did)
And myriad other factors.