In response to national media reporting accusations of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick’s sexual improprieties with several adults and his criminal violations of the sexual abuse of minors, Cardinal Seán O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston and president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, has condemned such “morally unacceptable” behavior, and stressed that it is “urgent” that the Church addresses such matters and protects victims.
In a July 24 statement, the Cardinal acknowledged these accusations are understandably a source of great disappointment and anger for many, saying he is “deeply troubled by these reports that have traumatized many Catholics and members of the wider community.”
Cardinal O’Malley stressed his “conviction” that the following three specific actions are required at this time:
- First, a fair and rapid adjudication of these accusations
- Second, an assessment of the adequacy of our standards and policies in the Church at every level, and especially in the case of bishops
- Third, communicating more clearly to the Catholic faithful and to all victims the process for reporting allegations against bishops and cardinals
“Failure to take these actions will threaten and endanger the already weakened moral authority of the Church and can destroy the trust required for the Church to minister to Catholics and have a meaningful role in the wider civil society.”
“In this moment there is no greater imperative for the Church than to hold itself accountable to address these matters, which I will bring to my upcoming meetings with the Holy See with great urgency and concern.”
These cases and others, Cardinal O’Malley stressed, require more than apologies. They illustrate, he noted, that when charges are brought regarding a bishop or a cardinal, a major gap still exists in the Church’s policies on sexual conduct and sexual abuse. “While the Church in the United States has adopted a zero tolerance policy regarding the sexual abuse of minors by priests we must have clearer procedures for cases involving bishops.”
“Transparent and consistent protocols are needed to provide justice for the victims and to adequately respond to the legitimate indignation of the community,” the President of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors said, adding: “The Church needs a strong and comprehensive policy to address bishops’ violations of the vows of celibacy in cases of the criminal abuse of minors and in cases involving adults.”
Stressing that his experience in several dioceses and his work with the members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors had brought him to this conclusion, he said: “The Church needs to swiftly and decisively take action regarding these matters of critical importance.”
“In every instance of claims made by victims of sexual abuse, whether criminal violations or the abuse of power, the primary concern must be for the victim, their family and their loved ones. The victims are to be commended for bringing to light their tragic experience and must be treated with respect and dignity.”
Here is Cardinal O’Malley’s full statement:
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About the Archdiocese of Boston: The Diocese of Boston was founded on April 8, 1808 and was elevated to Archdiocese in 1875. Currently serving the needs of 1.8 million Catholics, the Archdiocese of Boston is an ethnically diverse and spiritually enriching faith community consisting of 289 parishes, across 144 communities, educating approximately 38,000 students in its Catholic schools and 156,000 in religious education classes each year, ministering to the needs of 200,000 individuals through its pastoral and social service outreach. Mass is celebrated in nearly twenty different languages each week. For more information, please visit www.BostonCatholic.org.
