The first cardinal to be defrocked by the Pope over allegations of sexual abuse has died in the United States, according to a senior US churchman. Theodore McCarrick, the former archbishop of Washington and the most senior American prelate in the Catholic church to face claims of abuse, died aged 94 in the state of Missouri. His death was confirmed by the current Archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Robert McElroy, who expressed concern for those who McCarrick harmed during his priestly ministry. McCarrick had a long and distinguished career in the Catholic church, including serving as an emissary on human rights for former pope John Paul II and rubbing shoulders with world leaders. However, allegations of historical misconduct emerged in 2018, leading to a Vatican investigation and his expulsion from the priesthood in 2019. The Catholic church has struggled to root out abusers within its ranks, and the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (Snap) called McCarrick “one of the most notorious and powerful abusers in the modern history of the Catholic church.”

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/05/former-washington-archbishop-theodore-mccarrick-defrocked-over-abuse-allegations-dies-aged-94