A senior US cardinal has withdrawn from all public ministry after an allegation that he abused a teenager nearly 50 years ago.
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, 87, retired Archbishop of Washington, said in a statement that he believed in his innocence and had no memory of any such incident.
He added: "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. My sadness was deepened when I was informed that the allegations had been determined credible and substantiated."
He was told the allegation by New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan "some months ago" he said.
Cardinal McCarrick was ordained priest in 1958. He became auxiliary bishop of New York in 1977, Bishop of Metuchen, New Jersey, in 1981 and Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, in 1986. Translated to Archbishop of Washington in 2001, he was made a cardinal in 2001 and retired in 2006.
The cardinal's full statement, released Wednesday 20 June, states:
Some months ago, I was advised by the Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, that an allegation of sexual abuse of a teenager from almost fifty-years ago had been made against me. At that time I 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.
My sadness was deepened when I was informed that the allegations had been determined credible and substantiated.
In obedience I accept the decision of The Holy See, that I no longer exercise any public ministry.
I realise this painful development will shock my many friends, family members, and people I have been honoured to serve in my sixty-years as a priest.
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.
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