The Vatican said Tuesday that
disgraced former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick was able to become
one of the most influential figures in the American Catholic
Church because it was unaware of the abuse he had committed at
the time of his promotions.
While admitting mistakes were made, the long-awaited 450-page
report said the Holy See was not involved in a cover-up.
McCarrick, 90, was defrocked by Pope Francis last year after a
canon trial found him guilty of sexual abuse of young
seminarians and minors.
The report said the information the Holy See received from
bishops in Washington about McCarrick's sexual conduct was
"inaccurate and incomplete".
"We publish the Report with sorrow for the wounds that these
events have caused to the victims, their families, the Church in
the United States, and the Universal Church," said Vatican
Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
"As may be seen from the size of the Report and from the
quantity of documents and information contained therein, the
truth has been pursued, offering useful material to answer the
questions raised by the matter... In the last two years, while
the investigation that led to this Report was conducted, we have
taken significant steps forward to ensure greater attention to
the protection of minors and more effective interventions to
avoid that certain decisions made in the past be repeated".
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