PHILADELPHIA (PA)
CBS News
(CBS) PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Archdiocese confirms that Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, retired archbishop of Philadelphia, has died, with sex abuse trials looming for members of his clergy.
CBS Philly reports that toward the end of Bevilacqua’s tour of duty, a Philadelphia grand jury cited him and his predecessor for allowing dozens of predator priests to continue on the job.
Upon his retirement and the fallout from the grand jury report, Cardinal Bevilacqua went into seclusion at the seminary and was rarely seen in public.
In recent months, however, he was compelled to testify on video in proceedings surrounding his former secretary of the clergy, and other priests accused of abuse. Earlier this week, a judge ruled Bevilacqua was still competent to testify in person at their upcoming trials
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