Theodore McCarrick, a former influential figure in the Catholic Church who was removed from the priesthood in 2019 by Pope Francis due to allegations of misconduct involving both adults and minors, has passed away at the age of 94. The declaration of his demise was made by Archbishop of Washington, Robert McElroy, on Friday, although he withheld further specifics. McElroy’s statement emphasized the impact on those who suffered from McCarrick’s actions.
“In this moment, my thoughts are particularly with the victims who endured harm during his time in the ministry,” McElroy expressed. “May we continue to support them and all victims of sexual abuse in our prayers through their ongoing suffering.”
Recent legal disclosures revealed that McCarrick had been diagnosed with dementia before his death in Missouri, as reported by Vatican News. His scandal severely damaged the church’s credibility, particularly because there was proof that both Vatican and American church authorities were aware of his misconduct but chose to ignore it. Despite these allegations, McCarrick ascended to the pinnacle of the American Catholic Church, gaining the reputation of an effective fundraiser and serving as an advisor to three popes.
A comprehensive Vatican report on the investigation predominantly attributed the responsibility to the late Pope John Paul II. Despite prior investigative findings about McCarrick’s inappropriate conduct with seminarians, John Paul II appointed him as the Archbishop of Washington, D.C., in 2000. The report noted that John Paul was swayed by McCarrick’s handwritten denial, which stated: “Though I’ve made mistakes and at times been imprudent, I have never engaged in sexual relations with anyone, regardless of gender or status.”
The investigation highlighted how over time, church leaders often overlooked or downplayed reports regarding McCarrick’s misconduct with young men, facilitating his rise to the positions of cardinal and archbishop. The report included poignant testimonies from individuals who sounded alarms about McCarrick’s improper behavior, which extended to children, dating back to the mid-1980s.
While the findings unveiled the Vatican’s knowledge timeline, it did not explicitly accuse the church’s internal culture of protecting McCarrick’s unchecked behavior. Traditionally, cardinals and bishops are considered beyond reproach, and allegations related to sexual misconduct are often trivialized or dismissed as hearsay.
The report, based on documents from Vatican departments, U.S. dioceses, seminaries, and the church’s U.S. embassy, drew information from interviews with 90 individuals, including victims, former seminarians, priests, and officials from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) expressed dismay over McCarrick’s death, highlighting that despite his defrocking, he never faced trial for his alleged wrongdoings. “Though McCarrick has passed, his victims continue to endure,” stated Peter Isely, a SNAP founding member. “We persist, dealing with the adverse effects of his actions and the church’s failure in intercepting him.”
McCarrick, who served as the Archbishop of Washington from 2000 to 2006, ranks among the highest U.S. church officials implicated in a wide-reaching sexual abuse scandal involving thousands of priests. Known for his extensive travels, fund-raising skills, and multilingual abilities, he made significant contributions as a priest in New York City from 1958 until 1981 and—as bishop and archbishop—held leadership roles in both Metuchen and Newark, before being named a cardinal in 2001.
Besides his active participation in the 2005 conclave which elected Pope Benedict XVI, McCarrick also led the graveside service for Senator Ted Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery in 2009. Additionally, he celebrated Mass alongside Pope Francis during the pope’s 2015 visit to Washington.