CHICAGO (WBBM Newsradio 780) -- Cardinal Francis George says it's necessary to have a public conversation regarding the charges of sexual abuse against Rev. Daniel McCormack.
WBBM Newsradio 780's Mary Frances Bragiel reports Saturday, the day after the cardinal was released from a hospital after dizziness from an inner ear imbalance. He told reporters he is feeling much better.
The priest is charged with molesting two boys at St. Agatha's Church on the West Side. For the delay in removing the priest, George stopped shy of blaming the Archdiocese but did admit the process in reporting the alledged abuse was not followed. He said the victim needed to come forward to the Office of Professional Responsibility within the Archdioces. That did not happen.
And without credible evidence, the cardinal says he could only have him monitored by another priest and not removed from the ministry.
George wouldn't say if he believed McCormick was guilty.
McCormack was charged Jan. 21 with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. Prosecutors say he repeatedly molested two boys between 2001 and 2005.
McCormack was suspended and removed from St. Agatha Church several days before he was charged, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago has said.
But some critics have questioned why McCormack was allowed to remain at the church. The archdiocese has acknowledged that one of the charges stems from an allegation of sexual abuse that was first made in August.
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