Theodore McCarrick, the former Archbishop of Washington, DC, whom Pope Francis has dismissed from the clerical state as punishment for sexual abuse of minors and adults, will continue to live at the friary in Salina, Kansas, where he moved in September of last year.
The Diocese of Salina released a statement on Saturday saying: “Mr McCarrick will continue to reside at the St Fidelis Friary in Victoria until a decision of permanent residence is finalised.”
St Fidelis is operated by the Capuchin Franciscans. The statement also says Salina’s bishop, Bishop Gerald Vincke, “expresses his gratitude to the Capuchins at St. Fidelis Friary for their charity and compassion shown to all who seek refuge in the Church, as well as the remarkable people of Victoria for their mercy in this difficult situation.”
There is still no word on how the nearly 89-year-old former cleric will support himself, though he is reported to have independent financial means at his disposal. Significant questions remain regarding where McCarrick - an inveterate fundraiser - got his personal wealth, and how much of it he got during his more than six decades as a cleric.
Pope Francis reduced Mr McCarrick to the lay state last week, after nearly two years of investigations and proceedings that began in New York - where McCarrick was ordained - and eventually made their way to the Vatican.
A communiqué from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), which conducted the canonical proceedings against Mr McCarrick, reported on Saturday morning that the CDF found the former Cardinal and Archbishop of Washington, DC, guilty of “sins against the Sixth Commandment” - against chastity - with both minors and adults, and of the crime of solicitation in the Sacrament of Confession. The communique also stated the CDF found “abuse of power” to have been an aggravating factor in McCarrick’s guilt.
The CDF communiqué said Mr McCarrick was first found guilty on January 11, and that he presented a recourse, which the Ordinary Session of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith rejected on February 13, before officially notifying McCarrick of the decision on Friday, February 15.
The CDF communiqué also said Pope Francis has ruled that decision final and unappealable.
At noon on Saturday, the interim Director of the Press Office of the Holy See, Alessandro Gisotti, appeared before reporters to read the CDF communiqué in several languages.
