Abuse charge against highest cleric in US so far | Abroad

The senior cleric was a highly respected Catholic leader until allegations of his behavior became public in 2018. The Vatican found him guilty. He lost his title of cardinal and was removed from the priesthood. Justice has decided to prosecute him for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy at a Massachusetts wedding reception in 1974.

‘Painful’

Pope Francis spoke out at the end of last year about the McCarrick affair, who was able to make a career within the church despite indications of sexual abuse. Francis called the case “painful” and expressed his solidarity with the victims. The top of the church appeared to be aware of rumors about McCarrick for years, but did not intervene.

Pope Benedict is said to have put a stop to an investigation in 2008. The cardinal was then only given a verbal warning and the advice to keep quiet. The Vatican acknowledged that Pastor Pope John Paul II also had no qualms about promoting McCarrick, despite warnings about his dealings.

Series of scandals

The McCarrick case is not an isolated one. The Roman Catholic Church faces a series of scandals involving the abuse of minors. In the US alone, 18,500 complaints were filed against 6,700 clerics between 1950 and 2016.

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