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	Court Today for Accused Priest McCormack By Bob Roberts WBBM May 8, 2006 http://www.wbbm780.com/pages/33057.php Chicago (WBBM Newsradio 780) - A West Side priest now charged with molesting at least five children appears again Monday before a Criminal Courts judge on the two latest charges. Fr. Daniel McCormack appears at 12 noon in Violence Court (Br. 66). WBBM Newsradio 780's Bob Roberts reports one of the complaints, lodged late Friday, accuses Fr. McCormack of fondling a 10-year-old boy who played on the basketball team he coached at Presentation School. It allegedly happened once, in the rectory of Saint Agatha's Church, at 3142 W. Douglas Blvd. The second complaint accuses Fr. McCormack of fondling another Presentation School student, an 11-year-old boy, almost daily in classrooms at the school, at 3900 W. Lexington St., between last September and Jan. 15 -- a time during which he was already under suspicion. Circuit Court Judge Laura Sullivan's order Saturday increased Fr. McCormack's bond from $500,000 to $700,000. His attorney, Patrick Reardon, moved immediately to post bond and McCormack is being released into the custody of his brother, a police officer. McCormack surrendered, accompanied by his attorney, at the Harrison Area police headquarters Friday night. The 37-year-old Fr. McCormack was removed Jan. 21 as pastor of St. Agatha Church. Previously, he was charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse for fondling two boys, ages 8 and 9 at the time. In February, additional charges were filed involved a third boy, who was 11 at the time. Fr. McCormack had been the focus of accusations last summer. No charges were filed at the time, however, and the Catholic Archdiocese appointed a monitor in August to try to assure that Fr. McCormack had no further contact with children. The new accusations involving the 11-year-old boy fall entirely within that time. Reardon assured Judge Sullivan Saturday that his client would have no contact with children. Reardon repeatedly refused comment outside of court Saturday when asked about the case. The charges may not be the last. Archdiocesan Chancellor Jimmy Lago has said that since January, the Archdiocese and police have received allegations involving more than a dozen children. Police said the investigation continues. Francis Cardinal George last month apologized for not removing Fr. McCormack earlier, and said the Archdiocese will do more to address new accusations more quickly. Nonetheless, several groups have called for Cardinal George to step down as the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Chicago.
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