Theodore McCarrick, a former influential Catholic cardinal who was defrocked by Pope Francis in 2019 after a Vatican investigation revealed he had sexually abused both adults and children, has passed away at the age of 94. Archbishop of Washington, Robert McElroy, confirmed McCarrick’s death, which occurred in Missouri, though no further details were provided. McElroy’s statement focused on the victims of McCarrick’s abuse, expressing prayers for their enduring pain.
McCarrick’s scandal severely damaged the Catholic Church’s credibility, as evidence emerged that church leaders in both the Vatican and the U.S. had been aware of his misconduct with seminarians but chose to overlook it. His rise through the Church hierarchy was aided by his skills as a fundraiser and advisor to three popes.
The Vatican’s report on the investigation largely blamed Pope John Paul II, who appointed McCarrick as Archbishop of Washington, D.C., in 2000, despite having previously commissioned an inquiry that confirmed McCarrick’s inappropriate behavior. John Paul II reportedly accepted McCarrick’s handwritten denial of the allegations, which claimed he had never engaged in sexual relations with anyone.
Over the years, numerous bishops and cardinals either dismissed or minimized reports of McCarrick’s misconduct. The investigation also revealed that individuals who tried to raise concerns about his behavior in the mid-1980s were met with indifference or dismissal.
The report criticized the Church’s “old boys club” culture, which allowed such behavior to persist unchecked. While it detailed the extent of the Church’s knowledge and inaction, it stopped short of directly blaming the institution’s leadership.
The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) expressed frustration over McCarrick’s death, highlighting that although he was defrocked, he never faced legal trial for the harm he caused. SNAP member Peter Isely emphasized that while McCarrick is gone, his victims continue to live with the consequences of his actions and the Church’s failure to intervene.
McCarrick served as Archbishop of Washington from 2000 to 2006, becoming one of the highest-ranking U.S. Church officials implicated in the sexual abuse crisis that has affected thousands of priests. His career spanned several decades, beginning as a priest in New York City in 1958, followed by leadership roles in Metuchen, New Jersey, and Newark, New Jersey. He was elevated to cardinal in 2001 and played a significant role in Church events, including the 2005 conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI and the 2015 Mass with Pope Francis in Washington.
