McCarrick: excuseal accused of committing sexual abuse, dies at 94 years

Theodore Edgar McCarrick, exarzobispo of Washington, died on April 3, 2025, at the age of 94, Vatican News reported. His death closes a chapter marked by the promotion to prominence within the Catholic Church in the United States, followed by a dramatic fall in disgrace.

Raised to the rank of Cardinal by Pope John Paul II, McCarrick became one of the most influential figures of the Church in the country. However, his legacy was irrevocably stained by the accusations of sexual abuse that came to light in 2018.

Ecclesiastical investigations confirmed the credibility of the complaints of sexual abuse against seminarians and minors, perpetrated for decades. In 2019, Pope Francis made the unprecedented decision to strip McCarrick of his clerical status, declaring him guilty of request in the confession and violations of the sixth commandment, with the aggravating abuse of power.

A report authorized by the Vatican in 2020 detailed the abuses committed by McCarrick between the 1980s and 1990s. However, in 2023, a Massachusetts judge dismissed the criminal charges against him due to his dementia.

McCarrick died in Misuri, where he had lived his last years in seclusion. His case has left a deep mark on the Catholic Church, provoking debates about the responsibility and protection of minors within the institution.