CHICAGO (IL)
Sun Times
January 8, 2019
By Robert Herguth
A Catholic priest and author who belongs to the tradition-minded Opus Dei organization and once tended to the conservative elite in Washington, D.C., later became a fixture in the Chicago area, where he lived and worked for almost nine years, until late 2013.
Why the Rev. C. John McCloskey left Washington and later was sent to Chicago in early 2005 is only now coming to light: Opus Dei confirmed Tuesday that he faced a “credible” allegation of sexual misconduct against a woman while working in Washington, and Chicago was considered a more structured environment for him.
McCloskey reportedly groped a woman he was counseling at the Catholic Information Center, described by The Washington Post as “a K Street hub of Catholic life in downtown Washington.”
Opus Dei settled a legal claim by the woman for just under $1 million in 2005, around the time he started working in Chicago, Opus Dei spokesman Brian Finnerty said. He said Opus Dei is speaking about the case now because the woman recently asked the organization to publicize it.
This is the only misconduct-related legal settlement paid by Opus Dei in the United States, according to Finnerty, who said the payout was covered by a donor who wants to stay anonymous.
A complaint from the woman came to light in November 2002, according to a written statement from the Rev. Thomas Bohlin, vicar of Opus Dei in the United States. That complaint was investigated by the organization, and McCloskey was removed from his position at the center a year later, according to the statement.
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