Diocese of Peoria Delays Former Archbishop’s Beatification Due to Secular Clergy Abuse Investigations

SNAP
December 5, 2019

https://www.snapnetwork.org/media_statements

Church officials in Peoria have chosen to delay the beatification of a former Archbishop until law enforcement in NY completes their investigation into clergy sex abuse.

We applaud the move to delay the beatification of former Rochester Archbishop Fulton Sheen. Hundreds of lawsuits are being filed in New York and at least two government offices – one in New York and another in Illinois – are investigating Catholic officials in states where Archbishop Sheen spent time.

Given the revelations that have come out through these secular investigations, it makes sense to delay this beatification instead of risking that another prematurely praised Catholic figure is later exposed to be complicit in clergy sex crimes and cover ups. As there are already questions about whether or not Archbishop Sheen reassigned a cleric accused of sexual misconduct, this decision is sensible and can help from further hurting abuse survivors.