Who Is Theodore McCarrick? Age, Biography, and Wiki
Theodore McCarrick was born on July 7, 1930, and passed away in 2025 at the age of 94. Known for his influential role within the Catholic Church, McCarrick was a prominent figure who served as a cardinal in various capacities throughout his career. His life was characterized by both a significant ecclesiastical presence and a series of controversies that ultimately led to his expulsion from the ministry.
Occupation | Criminals |
---|---|
Date of Birth | July 7, 1930 |
Age | 94 Years |
Birth Place | New York City, U.S. |
Horoscope | Cancer |
Country | U.S |
Date of death | 3 April, 2025 |
Died Place | Dittmer, Missouri, U.S. |
Popularity
Theodore McCarrick's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific details about Theodore McCarrick's height and weight are not widely documented, typical estimates suggest that he stood around 6 feet tall. His later years may have altered his physical condition, but overall, his presence was commanding during his service.
In 2005, the Archdiocese of Newark and the Dioceses of Trenton and Metuchen paid a total of $80,000 to a former priest, who stated that McCarrick would touch him in bed, but only above the waist, and that they never kissed.
The Diocese of Metuchen's contribution was not in reference to McCarrick, but to an allegation regarding previous conduct of a teacher at a high school located at that time in the diocese.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Theodore McCarrick was known to be a celibate priest, adhering to the teachings of the Catholic Church. As a cardinal, he had no public relationships or marriages. His commitment to a life of service excluded traditional romantic relationships, leaving his focus directed toward his clergy and congregation.
and Margaret T. (née McLaughlin) McCarrick. His father was a ship captain who died from tuberculosis when McCarrick was three years old, and his mother then worked at an automobile parts factory in The Bronx. As a child, McCarrick served as an altar boy at the Church of the Incarnation in Washington Heights.
He was expelled from the Jesuit Xavier High School in his junior year for missing classes.
Net Worth and Salary
Estimates regarding Theodore McCarrick's net worth at the time of his death in 2025 suggest it was between $1 million and $5 million. His earnings primarily stemmed from his ecclesiastical roles, speaking engagements, and investment in various church-related activities. Although he held a prominent position, much of his wealth was likely allocated toward charitable causes.
On September 28, 2018, it was announced that McCarrick had moved to the Capuchin St. Fidelis Friary in Victoria, Kansas, the day before. The announcement was unpopular with many of the citizens of Victoria, especially because the friary is near an elementary school.
Before McCarrick was laicized, the Archdiocese of Washington was paying a little over $500 a month for his lodging.
After he was laicized, the archdiocese stopped the payments, and the friary stated that it would not be receiving remuneration from McCarrick or the local Roman Catholic Diocese of Salina for McCarrick's stay, even though McCarrick offered to pay.
Career, Business, and Investments
McCarrick's career in the Catholic Church spanned several decades. He was ordained as a priest in 1958, later rising through the ranks to become the archbishop of Washington, D.C., and eventually a cardinal in 2001. His role included significant contributions to ecumenical and interfaith dialogues, as well as hosting several philanthropic initiatives. However, his career was significantly marred by allegations of sexual abuse, resulting in serious repercussions that impacted both his personal and professional life.
In June 2004, McCarrick was accused of intentionally misreading a letter from Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger recommending that Catholic politicians who supported abortion rights be denied the Eucharist.
McCarrick led a successful push to have the USCCB allow the bishops of individual dioceses to determine who was or was not eligible to receive the sacrament of communion. Fr.
Richard John Neuhaus said, "The bishops I have talked to have no doubt that [McCarrick's] presentation did not accurately represent the communication from Cardinal Ratzinger." McCarrick said that he did not want to cause "a confrontation with the Sacred Body of the Lord Jesus in my hand," and added that "the individual should be the one who decides
whether or not he is in communion with the Church" and therefore eligible to receive the sacrament.
McCarrick later met with then senator John Kerry, a Catholic and the Democratic nominee in that year's presidential election. Some Catholics felt Kerry should not have been allowed to receive Communion due to his political position favoring abortion rights.
Social Network
Although McCarrick maintained a limited social media presence due to the nature of his vocation, he was known to network extensively within ecclesiastical circles and was a prominent figure in religious conferences worldwide.
After a credible allegation of repeated sexual misconduct towards boys and seminarians was lodged with the Archdiocese of New York, McCarrick was removed from public ministry in 2018.
The following month, The New York Times published a story detailing a pattern of sexual abuse of male seminarians and minors by McCarrick, leading him to resign from the College of Cardinals.
After a church investigation and trial, McCarrick was found guilty of sexual crimes against adults and minors and abuse of power and dismissed from the clerical state in 2019.
He was the most senior church official in modern times to be laicized, and his was the first known case of a cardinal resigning from the College of Cardinals and being laicized for sexual abuse. Several honors he had been awarded, such as honorary degrees, were rescinded.
Education
Theodore McCarrick pursued his early education at the Catholic University of America, where he eventually obtained advanced degrees in theology and education. His education laid the groundwork for a long and impactful career in service to the Church.
McCarrick's case sparked demands for accountability and reform in the Catholic Church. Pope Francis ordered "a thorough study" of the Vatican's records on McCarrick "to ascertain all the relevant facts, to place them in their historical context and to evaluate them objectively", which was published by the Secretariat of State in 2020.