Vatican backs cardinal's decision to remove 11 priests from ministry

Published: 2005-09-29

CHICAGO (CNS) -- The Vatican confirmed Chicago Cardinal Francis E. George's decision to remove 11 archdiocesan priests from ministry following accusations that they had sexually abused minors. The 11, who have now been permanently removed from ministry, were among 14 whose cases the archdiocese sent to the Vatican for review in accordance with the U.S. bishops' 2002 "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People" and the related "Essential Norms" implementing the charter legislatively. All of the priests had already been removed from public ministry. Of the 14, one has died and two await canonical trials, which will be decided by tribunals of priests in the United States. The Vatican decision, announced Sept. 26, means each of the priests is prohibited from "engaging in any public ministry, presenting himself as a priest or acting as an agent of the Archdiocese of Chicago," said the archdiocesan chancellor, Jimmy M. Lago. The archdiocese did not release the names of the priests, but did notify the victims and affected parish communities.

Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .