WASHINGTON - A former Archbishop of Washington accused of sexually abusing a minor will not face criminal charges.
Cardinal Theodore McCarrick is accused of attacking a teenager nearly 50 years ago.
The abuse reportedly happened when he was a priest with the New York Archdiocese.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said it is aware of the allegations, but too much time has passed to press charges. New York’s statute of limitations will not allow prosecutors to charge McCarrick with a crime.
Cardinal McCarrick is 87 years old, in poor health, and currently retired.
When he was the Archbishop of Washington, McCarrick lead more than 500,000 Catholics and more than 100 schools in D.C. and Maryland.
His 60 years of ministry are now stained with the serious scandal.
This is the first reported sexual offense against Cardinal McCarrick to the Catholic Church. The name, age and sex of the victim has not been disclosed by church leaders.
The New York Archdiocese also has refused to report a clear timeline of when the abuse happened or exactly when it was reported.
A spokesperson with the archdiocese said the allegations were turned over to police and investigated by an independent forensic agency.
A review board found the accusations against Cardinal McCarrick to be “substantiated and credible.”
McCarrick said he had “no recollection” of the abuse and believes in his innocence.
He went on to write in a statement, “I am sorry for the pain the person who brought the charges has gone through, as well as for the scandal such charges cause our people."
Cardinal McCarrick has been removed from public ministry.
The Holy See, which is the government of the Catholic Church, will determine his punishment. The disciplinary action could range from living a life of prayer and repentance, to losing his title.
Cardinal McCarrick still lives in the Washington, D.C. area.
