Theodore E. McCarrick, Former U.S. Cardinal Accused of Sexual Abuse, Dies at 94

Washington, April 5, 2025— Theodore E. McCarrick, the disgraced previous American cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church that dealt with numerous accusations of sexual assault, has actually passed away at the age of 94. As soon as among one of the most effective numbers in the American Catholic pecking order, McCarrick was removed of his titles and defrocked by Pope Francis in 2019 adhering to a Vatican examination.

Fatality Verified by Church Officials

His fatality was validated by Cardinal Robert W. McElroy, Archbishop of Washington, though additional information were not revealed. According to the Vatican, McCarrick died on Thursday in Missouri.

McCarrick, that worked as the Archbishop of Washington, was the highest-ranking united state church authorities ever before to be laicized as a result of sex-related transgression. His loss from elegance noted a seismic change in exactly how the Vatican takes care of misuse accusations versus elderly clergy.

Claims and Defrocking

The New york city Times initially reported the accusations in 2018, disclosing that McCarrick had sexually mistreated minors and seminarians for years. He was condemned of abusing a teen child in the very early 1970s while functioning as a monsignor in New york city.

Complying with an extensive approved test, the Vatican located the accusations trustworthy and removed McCarrick of his clerical condition in 2019. Pope Francis’ choice to laicize him was viewed as a transforming factor in the Catholic Church’s lengthy battle with sexual assault within its rankings.

Wider Effect on Church Policy

The detraction set off substantial reforms within the Vatican concerning the handling of misuse accusations. McCarrick’s instance motivated Pope Francis to apply brand-new worldwide plans for higher responsibility amongst diocesans and elderly church authorities.

Prior to McCarrick, a number of various other top-level clergymans and diocesans had actually dealt with comparable allegations, consisting of Cardinal Bernard F. Legislation, the previous Archbishop of Boston, that surrendered in 2002 amidst a wave of misuse discoveries.

In spite of his defrocking, McCarrick remained to reside in loved one privacy. His fatality shuts a dark phase in the American Catholic Church’s background yet leaves a tradition of discomfort for his sufferers and a restored dedication by the Church to avoid future misuse.

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