The disgraced former cardinal Theodore McCarrick sent more than $600,000 in cash gifts to Vatican officials and other influential prelates during his term as Archbishop of Washington, the Washington Post has revealed.
A legendary fundraiser, McCarrick brought in $6 million in tax-exempt donations to an “Archbishop’s Special Fund,” over which he had complete control. He drew on that fund to send gifts that included, for instance, $19,000 to Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Secretary of State; $6,500 to then-Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, the sostituto who handled everyday Vatican administrative affairs; $5,000 to the late Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, who was the papal nuncio in Washington; and a one-time gift of $250,000 to Pope Benedict XVI shortly after his election.
Prelates who received gifts from McCarrick told the Post that the cash did not influence their decisions. In fact some Church officials indicated that it was not unusual to receive such gifts from the heads of affluent archdioceses. Cardinal James Harvey, the former prefect of the pontifical household, told the Post that “numerous bishops from big cities in the United States sent him monetary gifts to show appreciation for his office’s help, including in making arrangements for visits to the pope.” Cardinal Harvey added: “It never occurred to me that this would be in some way improper.”
Full story at Catholic Culture.
Never forget this man was reinstituted to active clerical life by Francis……
“reinstituted to active clerical life by Francis” No, I’m sorry, that’s not true. He was an active cleric when Francis was elected. Francis first removed his hat then laicized him.
Pope Benedict directed McCarrick to live a quiet, retired life. Pope Francis did take him out of retirement, so to speak, and had him serve as an ambassador of sorts between the Communist Chinese government and the Vatican until 2016. That’s a fact. (Check Catholic News Agency, for example, for documentation.) Below is a link to a short article by Anthony Esolen about McCarrick:
https://newmansociety.org/it-never-was-about-anything-else/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxKzxlYDr5gIVDdNkCh1hNQfAEAAYASAAEgJn__D_BwE
McCarrick was one of St John Paul II’s favorite cardinals…undoubtedly because of his generous gifts!
Can you document your claim “undoubtedly because of his generous gifts!?”
I doubt that. But, I’m open to evidence.
Fr. Marciel Maciel (founder of the Legion of Christ) was another one of JPII’s favorite clerics because of large donations. And look what kind of psychopath that man was. JPII refused to investigate claims of rampant sexual abuse by Fr. Maciel because he gave JPII such large gifts of money.
I’m still looking for some evidence of that. Can you document that? Things are not true just because someone posts them anonymously on the internet.
“Curious,” posters here, are simply ordinary Catholics, giving their views on articles. They are certainly NOT paid, professional Catholic authors, journalists, and news reporters! They are most certainly NOT required to “give documentation” to suit your “curi
ous” tastes and interests! And to falsely, naively “protect” evil in the Catholic Church is a sin! Posters’ views, here– including YOU!!– amount to NOTHING, in the public square!
Anon., you are right, it is wrong to “protect evil in the Church,” as you said. I have never done that. And, it is wrong to falsely accuse Saint John Paul and others of evil, unless there is evidence. Just because one is not a “professional,” as you say, and I am not one either, that does not give us the right to make unfounded public accusations. Calumny is still a sin. I believe none of us want to fall prey to that (or any other) sin.
“Curious”– no one here, expressing their views, needs to act like some sort of sanctimonious Catholic historian– and “document” everything they write– to suit your “curious” tastes and interests! It is well-known, the great public acclaim heaped upon both evil Maciel and McCarrick, by Pope St. John Paul II– who ignored the horrific sex abuse crimes of both of these clerics! Pope St. John Paul II also elevated McCarrick to be a Cardinal– ignoring his past crimes, when he did so!!
“Anon.,” I could’ve signed what I wrote as “cautious, truthful & charitable,” but “curious” was shorter and honest. When someone makes public claims on the internet about the character of our Church’s leaders, it is not unreasonable to ask for some proof. Things are not true simply because you or I or someone else claims they are. “Well known” doesn’t cut it. (In some circles, it’s “well known” that there are an unlimited number of genders, George W. Bush is responsible for climate change and that most priests are corrupt, yet none of those claims are true.) McCarrick’s sins and crimes were not well known 19 years ago, when he was made a cardinal. Scripture teaches us “Do not entertain an accusation against a presbyter* unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.” (1 Timothy 5:19 and, of course, in context, verse 20 applies as well. * the Greek word for priest or elder)
To my knowledge, Mr. McCarrick has not apologized (at least publicly) for his sins and crimes. Since he was such a prominent public prelate and predator, it seems at least an apology to his victims, those of his sexual abuse and his harm to the Church in general, among other things, is a reasonable expectation.
And, I agree with a prominent layman that Mr. McCarrick should not have been laicized. Just because a member of the clergy is corrupt doesn’t mean he should be made a lay person. That’s an insult to the lay faithful. He was a bad cleric.
For a few who may think it’s inappropriate to be critical of Mr. McCarrick because he was a bishop, if you think my comments are wrong, please contact my bishop. My real name is right here. My bishop and every priest and deacon I know is disgusted by the horrendous actions perpetrated by Mr. McCarrick.
Diabolical Narcissists never admit their wrongdoing, so Ted McCarrick, layman, will never admit to his crimes. To this day he maintains his innocence.
“Don’t Trust the Clorgy” … if you meant “Clergy” …..It’s your User Name I have a problem with, not your message. I think it’s really unfair to paint all clergy with that broad brush of yours. There are many, many good priests who are under a lot of strain because of the mayhem caused by some.
“Silent Observer”– I got the idea that “Don’t Trust the Clergy” is just using that moniker, because he feels so badly, as we all do– about the horrors of McCarrick and all the other evil criminals, protected by a sinful Church– who destroyed a great many young lives, in Christ’s Name, with their filthy sins! Yes, of course– we do have some very fine priests and bishops! But not many are in our top Church leadership– nor may get to that level, as a bishop, cardinal, or Pope, in today’s liberal Church!
It was reported in the news, that in the early 1990s. Church leaders tried to warn Pope St. John Paul II against a visit to McCarrick’s then-Archdiocese of Newark, NJ, on his 1995 U.S. trip, due to McCarrick’s many sex abuse cases. But the Pope visited McCarrick and his then-Archdiocese, anyway.
Plainly, for the Lavender Mafia, money is no object.
“Cardinal Harvey added: “It never occurred to me that this would be in some way improper.” Uh! Quid pro quo?
Sorry– but I, too, am very sickened by today’s Church– and no longer trust any of our clerical leaders. Basic Christian virtue — and common decency!– no longer prevails! Even many common, law-abiding, trustworthy, good people, who do not attend a church, but believe in God, have limited education, and limited religious training– yet come from good families, of strong moral virtue and integrity– may have greater virtue, decency, honesty, and integrity, than even our well-educated, highly religiously-trained, top Church leaders!
A bribe by any other name is still a bribe.
McCarrick ‘s evil, filthy sex abuse crimes already were known, with court cases, also— before he was made a Cardinal, by Pope St. John Paul II.
Many sex abuse cases of McCarrick were officially reported to Vatican authorities, at least since the early 1990s– but this material was ignored, when the Pope made McCarrick a Cardinal.