91-year-old Theodore McCarrick, a former US cardinal has been charged with sexually abusing a teenage boy, making him the highest-ranking Roman Catholic official to face criminal charges in the scandal surrounding clergy abuse.

Defrocked US cardinal charged with sexual abuse

Archbishop of Washington Theodore McCarrick molested a 16-year-old in 1971 and it was covered up. Instead of being punished, the cardinal was promoted. Pope John Paul-II who was the previous Pope gave him a promotion even when there were persistent complaints against McCarrick.

How Vatican covered up Archbishop Theodore McCarrick teen sexual assault case

Pope John Paul II promoted ex-U.S. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick in 2000 despite rumours of his sexual misconduct, a Vatican report found, one of a series of failings by popes and officials who let him rise through the ranks regardless of repeated allegations against him.

Report into disgraced ex U.S. cardinal shows failings by popes