Perversion of Power: Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church

Epilogue: Is Everything Old New Again?

217 epilogue Is Everything Old New Again? In 1988, a student at Niles College in Illinois allegedly awoke to find his pants pulled down and Daniel McCormack, a fellow student bound for the Roman Catholic seminary at Mundelein, standing over his bed.1 He was advised by another student to inform the Archdiocese of Chicago.2 Church officials say he did not; he will not say what he did.3 Daniel McCormack became a Chicago priest. One morning in 2000, the mother of a fourth-grade boy reportedly told a nun that Fr. McCormack had asked her son (alleged victim 1) to take his pants down in the sacristy of Holy Family Church.4 The nun states that after meeting with McCormack alone, the mother did not want her to pursue the case. Still concerned, however, the nun related the incident to an official at Chicago Catholic Schools who told her to let the matter go if the parent was not pushing it. Instead, she hand delivered a written account of the incident to the school administrator. Later, Chicago Catholic Schools denied any record of the nun’s complaint, a claim she calls “outrageous.”5 In August 2005, Chicago police investigated an allegation that McCormack had sexually molested an eight-year-old boy (alleged victim 2) twice in December 2003 at St. Agatha’s parish where he served as pastor.6 Later that month, the police told the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) about the accusation.7 DCFS proceeded with its own investigation and, in November 2005, found the charges to be credible. Archdiocesan officials say they were never alerted to the DCFS findings. Chicago prosecutors reportedly told archdiocesan officials in September 2005 that accusations had been made against Rev. McCormack but that there was insufficient evidence to file charges.8 Police say that the 218 Perversion of Power archdiocese requested access to the police notes on the accusation but was told it would have to obtain a subpoena to get those records; the archdiocese apparently did not take that step.9 Sometime after that, DCFS asserts that it was informed by McCormack’s attorney that the priest had been sent to Maryland to be evaluated, probably at St. Luke’s Institute, a treatment facility for troubled priests.10 Three months before McCormack was arrested, an archdiocesan review board reportedly recommended that he be removed from ministry.11 Cardinal George acknowledged the recommendation but said it was “informal,” as if that should make a difference.12 Fr. McCormack was returned to his position at St. Agatha’s. A colleague , Rev. Tom Walsh, was asked to “monitor” McCormack, who was instructed not to have unsupervised contact with children.13 He continued to coach the boys’ basketball team at St. Agatha’s school, however, and the principal says he was not alerted to any allegations against McCormack.14 McCormack allegedly abused a child in January 2006.15 In January 2006, a second boy from St. Agatha’s (alleged victim 3) reported to police that Fr. McCormack had molested him two to three times a month from ages nine to thirteen.16 These allegations apparently supported the earlier allegations (alleged victim 2), and McCormack was charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse of two young boys.17 Since then, up to a dozen other alleged victims have come forward with reports of sexual abuse by Fr. McCormack.18 Attorney Jeffrey Anderson, one of the best-known lawyers for victims suing the Catholic Church, is representing one of McCormack’s alleged victims and was quoted as saying, “They still haven’t got the message. The archdiocese has been operating in secrecy, not candor.”19 Francis Cardinal George’s initial response to the publicity about McCormack was to defend his decision to keep the priest at St. Agatha’s. He claimed that there were no procedures allowing him to remove a priest from ministry when sexual abuse complaints were lodged by someone other than the victim or the victim’s parents;20 asserted that prosecutors were not helpful to the archdiocese; criticized DCFS for not providing more timely information about their investigation of McCormack;21 and suggested that victim groups were partly responsible for the problem because they discourage victims from reporting abuse to dioceses.22 Jimmy Lago, the archdiocesan chancellor, blamed the nun who reported McCormack to the Chicago Catholic School authorities for not also reporting him to DCFS.23 As the weeks went on, however, Cardinal George appeared to take more...