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A8 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 29 december 2018

Lawyer: McCarrick repeatedly touched youth during confession

By NICOLE WINFIELD sure to finalize its case
Associated Press against McCarrick before
VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Francis hosts church lead-
Vatican’s sexual abuse ers at a February sex abuse
case against ex-Cardinal prevention summit, since
Theodore McCarrick has Francis himself has been
expanded significantly af- implicated in the yearslong
ter a man testified that the cover-up of McCarrick’s
retired American archbish- misconduct with adults.
op sexually abused him for If convicted by the Vati-
years starting when he was can, Francis could defrock
11, including during confes- McCarrick or give him a
sion. lesser penalty.
James Grein testified Thurs- While victims have long
day in New York before the complained about the way
judicial vicar for the New they have been treated
York City archdiocese, who during canonical proceed-
was asked by the Holy See ings, Noaker praised the
to take his statement for judicial vicar, the Rev. Rich-
the Vatican’s canonical ard Welch, saying he was
case, said Grein’s attorney compassionate, respectful
Patrick Noaker. and patient during Grein’s
The testimony, which lasted testimony.
about an hour, was difficult Noaker said Welch gave
and stressful but Grein was Grein time to compose
proud to have done it, No- In this March 4, 2015, file photo, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick speaks during a memorial service himself when he testified
aker said. in South Bend, Ind. about an incident in which
“He wants his church back. Associated Press McCarrick allegedly mas-
He felt that in order to ac- gave “chilling” details ment like confession haunts acted as the spokesman turbated Grein in a car.
complish that end, he had about alleged repeated Grein to this day. for U.S. bishops when they When McCarrick dropped
to go in and testify here and incidents of groping during “People are vulnerable in enacted a “zero toler- Grein back at home, he al-
tell them what happened, confession - a serious ca- the confessional. Very vul- ance” policy against sexu- legedly told Grein’s parents
and give the church itself nonical crime on top of the nerable,” he said. “If you ally abusive priests in 2002. that the mess was caused
the chance to do the right original offense of sexually manipulate that, and try to Pope Francis initially or- by a spilled soda, so Grein’s
thing,” Noaker said in a abusing a minor. sexualize that, it’s extreme- dered McCarrick removed mother went to clean up
telephone interview Friday. Grein had previously not ly emotionally damaging.” from public ministry in June the car seat.
Grein initially came forward made public those claims, McCarrick denied the ini- after he was accused of “That was a really psycho-
in July after the New York but Noaker confirmed his tial groping allegation of groping the teenage altar logically damaging mo-
archdiocese announced testimony to The Associ- the altar boy and has said boy - the first known alle- ment,” Noaker said, add-
that a church investigation ated Press. Grein also al- through his lawyer that he gation against him involv- ing that Grein had to relive
determined an allegation lowed McCarrick’s defense looks forward to his right to ing a teen. A month later, it during his testimony. “He
that McCarrick had groped lawyers to listen to his testi- due process. It wasn’t clear after former seminarians closed his eyes. He was sit-
another teenage altar boy mony by telephone. when he would testify in and Grein came forward, ting in that car with McCar-
in the 1970s was credible. “He touched James’ geni- the Vatican case. Francis removed McCarrick rick, and you could see it. It
Grein’s claims, first reported tals as part of the confes- The McCarrick scandal as a cardinal and ordered was moving and terrifying.”
by The New York Times, are sional. That became the has sparked a credibility him to live a lifetime of pen- Grein has told AP in the
more serious. He has al- course, it happened al- crisis for the U.S. and Vati- ance and prayer while the past that he struggled for
leged that McCarrick first most every time,” Noaker can church hierarchies, canonical process ran its decades with immense
exposed himself to Grein said. McCarrick would ab- since it was apparently an course. shame and guilt over the
when he was 11 and then solve Grein and “touch him open secret for some that Now 88, the former arch- abuse. He said he strug-
sexually molested him for on the forehead, shoulder, “Uncle Ted” slept with adult bishop of Washington is gled with alcoholism, which
years thereafter. chest and genitals.” seminarians. Yet McCar- living at a Kansas religious broke up his marriage, and
Noaker said in the testi- Noaker said combining rick still rose to the heights residence. attempted suicide multiple
mony Thursday, Grein also sexual abuse with a sacra- of church power, and even The Vatican is under pres- times.q