The new Pope, Cardinal Leo XIV, is facing accusations of mishandling allegations of child sex abuse dating back to his earlier career. Before his election as the 267th leader of the Catholic Church, Cardinal Prevost, as he was known, reportedly failed to properly investigate multiple claims made against Catholic priests in Peru. It is alleged that he provided refuge to an accused paedophile in a Chicago monastery without informing a nearby school.
One such case involved Father James Ray, a priest with a history of child abuse allegations whose ministry had been suspended years prior. Despite this, Cardinal Prevost allowed Father Ray to stay at St John Stone Friary in Chicago without notifying the nearby Catholic school. Father Ray’s name later appeared on a list of abusive clerics and religious brothers, with multiple alleged victims coming forward between 1974 and 1991.
In a separate incident at Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox, Father Richard McGrath was accused of raping a student in the mid-1990s. The Church settled with the victim in 2018 without admitting wrongdoing. Father McGrath was removed from his position in 2017 after a student reported seeing inappropriate content on his phone.
Cardinal Prevost also faced allegations of covering up sexual abuse by priests during his time in Chiclayo, Peru. Three women claimed that he failed to investigate their reports of abuse when they came forward in 2022. The women described incidents of priests engaging in inappropriate behavior with them as children, with one victim recounting being forced to share a bed with a priest after mass.
The accusations against Cardinal Prevost have raised concerns about his handling of child sex abuse cases and have prompted calls for further investigations into his actions during his earlier career.
Allegations were made by a woman who claimed that Father Vásquez had sexually assaulted her when she was 13 years old, just before mass. She recounted that during a homily, Father Vásquez spoke about priests making mistakes and the importance of forgiveness, which she felt was directed towards her. These accusations were reported to the Vatican body responsible for investigating cases of clerical sexual abuse.
At a news conference held by the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests in 2023, it was reported that the Diocese of Chiclayo stated they found insufficient evidence to support the claims against Father Vásquez. They denied reports that Cardinal Robert Prevost had covered up for the priest and remained silent in the face of complaints. Father Vásquez accepted the suspension of his ministry and chose to live with his family in Santa Cruz province.
The Diocese also mentioned that Father Yesquén was in poor health and had not been active in priestly duties for several years, making it difficult to pursue a case against him. In a 2019 interview, Cardinal Prevost emphasized the importance of transparency within the Church and encouraged victims to come forward. He condemned the practice of covering up abuse and urged victims to speak out for the well-being of the Church and the community.
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