WASHINGTON — Theodore McCarrick, the former Catholic cardinal at the center of one of the Church’s most damning sex abuse scandals, has died at the age of 94. The news was confirmed Friday by Archbishop Robert McElroy of Washington.

Once a powerful figure within the Roman Catholic Church, McCarrick was defrocked by Pope Francis in 2019 after a Vatican investigation found he had sexually abused both adults and minors over the span of decades. His death marks the end of a deeply controversial chapter in the Catholic Church’s recent history, but the repercussions of the McCarrick scandal continue to cast a long shadow over the institution.

McCarrick Scandal Erodes Trust in Catholic Leadership

The McCarrick case sparked a global credibility crisis for the Church, particularly in the United States. While allegations of sexual abuse by clergy are tragically not new, the McCarrick scandal was uniquely disturbing because evidence revealed that senior Church leaders—both in the Vatican and in the U.S.—were aware of his misconduct for years. Despite this, McCarrick rose to one of the highest positions in the American Church, celebrated as a skilled fundraiser and trusted advisor to three popes.

What fueled public outrage was not just the abuse itself, but the clear institutional cover-up. Even with reports that McCarrick had shared beds with seminarians, Church officials ignored or dismissed the allegations, allowing him to continue serving in influential roles.

Vatican Report Shifts Blame to Late Pope John Paul II

In 2020, the Vatican released a long-awaited report on the McCarrick investigation. Surprisingly, it placed a significant portion of the blame on Pope John Paul II, now a canonized saint. According to the report, John Paul II appointed McCarrick as Archbishop of Washington in 2000, despite authorizing an internal inquiry that confirmed concerns about his sexual conduct with seminarians.

The report claims that John Paul II was ultimately swayed by a handwritten letter from McCarrick himself, in which the then-cleric denied ever engaging in sexual acts:

“I have made mistakes and been imprudent at times, but in seventy years of life, I have never had sexual relations with any person, male or female, young or old, cleric or lay,” McCarrick wrote.

This personal assurance reportedly influenced the pope’s final decision to promote him, a decision that is now seen as a profound error in judgment.

Legacy of Pain and Reform

The death of Theodore McCarrick brings no closure to the survivors of his abuse or to the Catholic community at large. His legacy is one of deep betrayal, not only by an individual but by an institution that prioritized reputation over responsibility.

In the wake of the scandal, the Church has implemented new protocols for accountability and reporting, but critics argue that transparency and justice remain incomplete.