February 02, 2006

Source: New charge for pastor in abuse of boy

CHICAGO (IL)
Chicago Sun-Times

February 2, 2006

BY CATHLEEN FALSANI AND FRANK MAIN Staff Reporters

The Rev. Daniel McCormack was hit with a new criminal charge Wednesday, accused of molesting an 11-year-old Chicago boy last month inside the rectory of St. Agatha Roman Catholic Church in the North Lawndale neighborhood, according to a law enforcement source.

The alleged abuse took place while McCormack was being "monitored" by another priest assigned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago to keep tabs on McCormack and make sure he was never alone with children. Church officials imposed the monitor last August after first learning of allegations he had abused an 8-year-old Willowbrook boy.

On Jan. 21, McCormack, 37, was charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse for allegedly fondling two other boys at St. Agatha -- the 8-year-old from Willowbrook (now 11) who claims the priest molested him twice in 2003, and a 9-year-old (now 13) who has accused the priest of sexually molesting him two to three times a month between September 2001 and January 2005.

The latest charge, one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, involves an 11-year-old Chicago boy who contacted police and prosecutors Monday with his allegations against McCormack, a popular priest who had been St. Agatha's pastor since 2000.

Posted by kshaw at February 2, 2006 06:31 AM