Pope Expels Top NJ Priest Days After Child Sex Abuse List Release – Newark, NJ Patch

Pope Francis expelled a top New Jersey Catholic church leader from the ministry on Saturday, just three days after a list was released showing nearly 200 priests who were credibly accused of child sex abuse.

The Vatican said it conducted its own investigation and found Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the former Archbishop of Newark, the founding Bishop of Metuchen and Archbishop Emeritus of Washington, D.C., guilty of sexual abuse with children and adults over the past 50 years. The Vatican said the “solicitation in the Sacrament of Confession” constituted an “abuse of power.”

“The Holy Father has recognized the definitive nature of this decision, made in accord with law,” the Vatican said in a statement.

The decision came as the New Jersey Catholic Church released the names of nearly 200 priests credibly accused of child sex abuse. McCarrick was on the list. Read more: Here’s List Of NJ Priests Accused Of Child Sexual Abuse (UPDATED)

It was reportedly the first time that a cardinal or bishop in the United States has been defrocked from the Catholic Church and the first time any cardinal has been removed for sexual abuse, according to The New York Times.

McCarrick, 88, has been living at St. Fidelis Friary, a religious residence in Victoria, Kan., after the pope took initial steps to penalize him last year, according to nj.com. It’s not immediately clear that he’ll lose that residence.

Last year, when allegations first came to light, McCarrick said in a statement that he didn’t recall the abuse but he accepted the fact that the church would likely take action against him.

“While I have absolutely no recollection of this reported abuse, and believe in my innocence, I am sorry for the pain the person who brought the charges has gone through, as well as for the scandal such charges cause our people,” he said.

McCarrick said he was advised by the Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, that an allegation of sexual abuse of a teenager from 47 years ago had been made against him. At that time, he was a priest of the Archdiocese of New York.

“While shocked by the report, and while maintaining my innocence, I considered it essential that the charges be reported to the police, thoroughly investigated by an independent agency, and given to the Review Board of the Archdiocese of New York. I fully cooperated in the process,” he said.

“My sadness was deepened when I was informed that the allegations had been determined credible and substantiated.”

McCarrick was bishop of Metuchen from 1981 to 1986, and served as Newark’s archbishop from 1986 to 2000.

Last year, Rev. James F. Checchio, Bishop of Metuchen, said he was “very saddened” to be advised by the Archbishop of New York that McCarrick was alleged to have sexually abused a minor when he was a priest in the Archdiocese of New York.

“This very disturbing report has prompted me to direct that the records of our Diocese be re-examined, and I can report to you that there has never been any report or allegation that Cardinal McCarrick ever abused any minor during his time here in Metuchen,” he said. “In the past, there have been allegations that he engaged in sexual behavior with adults. This Diocese and the Archdiocese of Newark received three allegations of sexual misconduct with adults decades ago; two of these allegations resulted in settlements.”

Checchio said the abuse of anyone who is vulnerable is “both shameful and horrific.”

“The abuse of a minor by a priest – as is being reported in this case from New York – is an abomination and sickens and saddens us all,” he said. “I offer my sincere apologies to anyone who has ever been victimized, and I ask anyone who has been abused by any clergy to report it directly to law enforcement. I want all victims to know that they are always in my prayers, and I ask everyone in the Diocese to join with me in praying that the Lord will bring them courage, healing and consolation.”

In Metuchen, McCarrick was the shepherd of the newly formed diocese, according to nj.com, and later would build a $13 million archdiocesan center next to the cathedral in Newark. He allegedly used his connections to get Pope John Paul II to Newark in 1995.

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