ILLINOIS
The Community Word
Hundreds of Central Illinoisans for years watched Father Terry Cassidy mimic a fish that’s unaware it’s surrounded by water. It’s been his light-hearted effort to show how people often don’t realize they’re surrounded – by grace.
But Cassidy, 64, now finds himself feeling surrounded, too – by an allegation of sexual misconduct with a minor, by a group advocating for such victims, and by a handful of influential people within the Catholic Diocese of Peoria (CDOP).
“What’s happened to Father Terry is evil,” says an ordained deacon who spoke on the condition his name not be used since the Diocese instructed clergy to not respond to media inquiries.
“I’m not defending child abusers,” he continues. “They should be held accountable. But I am defending a wonderful man persecuted, I think, for his popularity, his success as a minister.”
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