View source for Sexual abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago

{{Short description|Events in Catholic Church child sexual abuse scandal in America}}
{{lead too short|date=September 2013}}
The '''sexual abuse scandal in the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago|Chicago archdiocese]]''' in the late 20th and early 21st century is a major chapter in the series of [[Catholic sex abuse cases]] in the United States and Ireland.
A 2023 report by the Illinois Attorney General found that more than 450 Catholic clergy in Illinois abused nearly 2,000 children since 1950. It highlighted in particular the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet in Illinois]] as a source of abuse.
==Role of Joseph Bernardin ==
Archbishop [[Joseph Bernardin]] (1928–1996) was among the first U.S. cardinals or bishops to confront the issue of sexual abuse by clergy. He adopted a strong stance on sexual abuse cases within the clergy by implementing the strongest, most comprehensive policy concerning priests accused of sexual misconduct with minors. Bernardin's reforms concerning this issue soon served as a model for other dioceses across the nation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archives.archchicago.org/jcbbio.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081024013546/http://archives.archchicago.org/jcbbio.htm |url-status=dead |title=Biography of Joseph Cardinal Bernardin|archive-date=October 24, 2008}}</ref> In 1992 the archdiocese started one of the first programs in the country for victims' assistance.<ref name=Placek/>
Bernardin was personally accused of sexual misconduct, but his accuser later recanted his testimony. Former seminarian Stephen Cook claimed to have been abused by Bernardin and another priest in the 1970s. But Cook subsequently dropped Bernardin from his lawsuit, as he was no longer certain that his memories (which had emerged while he was under hypnosis) were accurate.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1058/is_n9_v111/ai_14938840/ |title=Bernardin vindicated, says fellow bishop |access-date=2009-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501051800/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1058/is_n9_v111/ai_14938840/ |archive-date=2009-05-01 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Scandal under Cardinal George (1997–2014) ==
Prior to the election of [[Pope Benedict XVI]], [[Francis George|Cardinal George]] had spoken with then [[Cardinal Ratzinger]] and asked for his assistance in the matter of sexual abuse by clergy. After the election of Benedict XVI, the new Pope told Cardinal George that he remembered their previous conversation and that he would attend to the matter.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/health/chi-all.hd.cmain1-1aug13,0,4745237.story|title=Cardinal lifts the veil on abuses|website=[[Chicago Tribune]]}}</ref>
While Cardinal George has had to deal with the fallout from clergy sexual abuse cases from many years ago, he has come under fire for his actions during a recent abuse case. Cardinal George took some responsibility for the affair, saying, "The sins of priests and bishops destroy the Church, and I think that's what we're seeing here."<ref name="CNA2006">[https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/5879/cardinal-george-apologizes-to-disgruntled-chicago-parishioners Cardinal George apologizes to disgruntled Chicago parishioners], January 31, 2006 [[Catholic News Agency]]. Accessed March 24, 2008.</ref>
In 2005, Rev. Daniel Mark Holihan was found guilty of sexual abuse after being removed as a priest in 2002.  Holihan had abused over 40 children, according to the Illinois Attorney General's office, which condemned the Archdiocese for their inaction in his case.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/man-opens-up-on-alleged-sex-abuse-from-former-chicago-priest-known-as-father-happy-hands/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1w-cTR6Cu0mRLLTgpbKoqsphnz4S82j427rF2yW-XvGo37s6nZ_--_Q_M_aem_ARVqNpiX3MfYxhu2E4n-UbH5RrYpOgj9wceOr7vZ5x0R0fjGToz237ZGKdGJDnl9bUcMucS3Hy-YiErl9bpce8lU|title=Man opens up on alleged sex abuse from former Chicago priest known as 'Father Happy Hands'|website=WGN|date=10 May 2024}}</ref>
==McCormack affair==
Rev. Daniel McCormack allegedly had abused two boys repeatedly from 2001 to 2005. Cardinal George has faced criticism for allowing McCormack to remain at his post after allegations first surfaced in August 2005. George has acknowledged that he had made mistakes in the case of the Rev. McCormack, who was charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse on January 21, 2006.
At the time prosecutors were not able to move forward because they did not have sufficient evidence against him.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/religion/chi-060402-mccormackprofile,0,454518.story|title=Rev. Daniel McCormack : Accused priest was rising star|website=[[Chicago Tribune]]}}</ref>  McCormack was instructed not to have any unsupervised contact with minors and a personal monitor was assigned to him. Cardinal George has since said that, had he known several months ago what he knew now, that he would have removed McCormack from his duties right away.
Despite claims of following the Church's procedures for dealing with child-molesting priests, diocesan authorities made no attempt to contact the police regarding McCormack. Following this incident, the procedures for reporting abuse in Chicago were reportedly reevaluated by a panel and their importance was stressed.
==Under Cardinal Cupich (2014–present)==
Archbishop [[Cupich]], who had been bishop of the [[Diocese of Rapid City]], South Dakota and later of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane|Diocese of Spokane]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], had supported a zero-tolerance policy to control abuses in the church. He believed that ordained and lay Catholics who engaged in any kind of sex abuse of minors- or those applying to ministry who were found to have done so- should be prohibited from ministry with children. He also said that authorities should be notified for investigation. He also proposed a policy to deal with cases that are revealed through the sacrament of confession and Penance (where nothing at all can ordinarily be disclosed without very, very special procedures). In August 2015, he acted to suspend (remove faculties to perform the Sacraments) [[Octavio Munoz Capetillo]], the Pastor of [[Saint Pancratius]] Parish, from all duties because of allegations against him, and to notify and cooperate with the authorities.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.archchicago.org/news_releases/news_2015/stmnt_150803.html|title=Statement on Father Octavio Munoz Capetillo - August 3, 2015 - Archdiocese of Chicago|work=archchicago.org|access-date=26 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923173041/http://www.archchicago.org/news_releases/news_2015/stmnt_150803.html|archive-date=23 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
All allegations made to the archdiocese of past or present conduct are reported to the [[Illinois]] [[State's attorney|States Attorney's]] office and, if involving a current minor, to the [[Illinois Department of Children and Family Services]]. Of these allegations, the archdiocese investigates only matters involving current priests, from the standpoint of evaluating for removal from the priesthood. All priests, employees and volunteers go through background checks every three years. They are  trained in identifying suspected abuse tand in reporting requirements to authorities.  identifying and reporting requirements to the authorities for suspected abuse. Children in the diocese schools and study classes receive age-appropriate training, according to the diocese. According to John O'Malley, archdiocese special counsel, "he believes the archdiocese has reported every new case of sexual abuse to authorities since 2002 and provided files of older allegations going back decades."<ref name=Placek>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20150104/news/150109601/ |title=How the archdiocese is working to prevent abuse |last=Placek |first=Christopher |date=2015-01-04 |website=Daily Herald |language=en-US |access-date=2018-12-21}}</ref>
In response to the McCarrick-Vigano controversy,<!-- explain --> the Pope called a bishops’ conference on abuse scheduled for 2019 and appointed Cardinal Cupich to the organizing committee.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/cardinals-cupich-gracias-appointed-to-committee-for-february-abuse-meeting|title = Cardinals Cupich, Gracias Appointed to Committee for February Abuse Meeting| date=23 November 2018 }}</ref> In December 2018 the [[Attorney General of Illinois]], who launched an investigation in summer 2018 following reporting of the [[Grand jury investigation of Catholic Church sexual abuse in Pennsylvania]], issued a preliminary report. She stated having found evidence that allegations of sexual abuse by some 500 priests in the six dioceses in Illinois, including the archdiocese, had not been properly investigated by the dioceses. According to the archdiocese, since 2002, it has reported to authorities all claims, whether or not it investigated them, at the time the claims were made.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/19/us/illinois-catholic-church-abuse-allegations/index.html |title=Illinois AG says Catholic Church failed to disclose abuse accusations against 500 priests |last=Burke |first=Daniel |access-date=2018-12-21}}</ref><ref name=Placek/>
Prior to the Attorney General's investigation, only the archdiocese and the [[Diocese of Joliet]] had previously published any names of priests with credible complaints against them.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/illinois-attorney-general-says-catholic-church-seriously-underreported-number-priests-sexual-misconduct-allegations/|title = State AG: Church underreported number of priests with sex misconduct allegations|date = 19 December 2018}}</ref> In response to the state AG's investigation, the archdiocese reversed a previous decision by Cardinal George and released 10 more names to its public list.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/catholic-clergy-sex-abuse-scandal-misconduct-archdiocese/ |title=10 names added to list of clergy with 'substantiated' sex misconduct allegations |last=Herguth |first=Robert |date=2018-11-29 |website=Chicago Sun-Times |language=en |access-date=2018-12-21}}</ref>
In March 2019, lawyers for sex abuse victims revealed that 22 names were added to the list of 77 accused Catholic clergy, bringing the total number of accused clergy to 99.<ref name=list>{{Cite web|url=https://abc7chicago.com/religion/lawyers-release-list-of-illinois-catholic-clergy-accused-of-sexual-misconduct/5208420/|title = Lawyers release list of Illinois Catholic clergy accused of sexual misconduct|date = 21 March 2019}}</ref> The Archdiocese acknowledged that names released by the lawyers were credible, with 20 of these 22 new names already reported to civil authorities by the Archdiocese.<ref name=list /><!-- What period does this cover? -->
In January 2021, prominent South Side priest Father [[Michael Pfleger]] was suspended after being accused of sexual abuse of two minors. After an investigation by the Archdiocese, he was reinstated to parish ministry in May of the same year. The ''Chicago Tribune'' reported that the Archdiocese "concluded that there is insufficient reason to suspect Father Pfleger is guilty of these allegations."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-father-pfleger-reinstated-sabina-20210524-ptbpkxtosbd3xdvfylo7olfvui-story.html|title=Cardinal reinstates Pfleger after probe finds 'insufficient reason to suspect' he's guilty of child sex abuse allegations. 'Let's get back to work,' St. Sabina pastor says.|last=Gutowski|first=Christy|date=May 24, 2021|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|access-date=June 24, 2021}}</ref>
=== Attorney General report ===
On May 23, 2023, the Illinois Attorney General released a report on Catholic clergy child sex abuse in Illinois.  The multi-year investigation found that more than 450 Catholic clergy in Illinois abused nearly 2,000 children since 1950.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://clergyreport.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/|title=Report On Catholic Clergy Child Sex Abuse In Illinois 2023|date=May 23, 2023|website=Office of the Attorney General - State of Illinois |access-date=February 20, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://apnews.com/article/catholic-clergy-sexual-abuse-illinois-investigation-a298133cec9486c2e51172316bfe7b4b |title=Catholic clergy sexually abused Illinois kids far more often than church acknowledged, state finds |last1=Foody|first1=Kathleen|last2=Tarm|first2=Michael |date=2023-05-23 |website=AP News |language=en |access-date=2024-02-20}}</ref>
The report was inspired by one previously released in Pennsylvania; the data discovered in Illinois proved to be significantly worse than what was reported in Pennsylvania in 2018. It found that the Chicago Archdiocese "has done much to improve its handling of child sex abuse claims" over the prior 30 years, but it also offered criticisms of how some allegations against priests have been handled and how survivors of priest sexual abuse are treated.<ref name=D'Onofrio2023>{{cite news |title=Child sex abuse by Illinois Catholic clergy spans state and decades, AG investigation finds |first1=Jessica |last1=D'Onofrio |first2=Chuck |last2=Goudie |first3=Liz |last3=Nagy |first4=Barb |last4=Markoff |first5=Christine |last5=Tressel |work=ABC7 Eyewitness News |date=May 23, 2023 |url=https://abc7chicago.com/illinois-attorney-general-kwame-raoul-priest-sex-abuse-catholic-church-archdiocese-of-chicago/13287810/ }}</ref>
The report was most critical of [[Diocese of Joliet]]. It found that Bishop [[Joseph Imesch]] "covered up abuse by shipping off priests to unsuspecting parishes" and was dismissive of the subject of child sexual abuse.<ref name=D'Onofrio2023 /> Although the reported noted that "the Diocese of Joliet has been ahead of the curve in installing policies and procedures to respond to and prevent clerical child sex abuse"<ref>{{cite report |url=https://clergyreport.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/download/report.pdf |title=Report on Catholic Clergy Child Sex Abuse in Illinois |year=2023 }}</ref> the Attorney General's office said that the power structure in Joliet remains problematic and faces insufficient accountability.<ref name=D'Onofrio2023 />
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Abuse}}
{{SACC}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chicago}}
[[Category:Catholic Church sexual abuse scandals in the United States|Chicago]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago]]
[[Category:Crime in Chicago]]
[[Category:Incidents of violence against boys]]