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Theodore McCarrick is interviewed by Meet the Press host Tim Russert in 2004 about clergy sexual abuse.YouTube

UNITED STATES, November 11, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) – The Vatican’s newly released McCarrick report, offering details about ex-cardinal Theodore McCarrick sexual abuse, rise to power, and high-ranking cover-up of the matter, contains letters which evidence the close relationship between McCarrick and then Vice-President Joe Biden as well as President Obama.

In 2006 Cardinal Re, then Prefect for the Congregation of Bishops, had asked Nuncio Sambi to convey to McCarrick that he was to lead a “reserved life of prayer.” Cardinal Re repeated the request in June 2008, urging that McCarrick “conduct a more private life, and accordingly he should not accept invitations either within the United States or abroad, except for some special cases, according to the judgment of the Holy See.”

McCarrick thus had to send regular written to reports to Cardinal Re, recording his travels and activities, since he was under sanction and not to appear in public activities, as testified by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganó in his letter in August 2018.

Consequently, in a letter to Sambi, dated January 7 2009, McCarrick detailed his knowledge of the incoming Obama administration.

He made the comments in light of a meeting he had with Mr. Denis McDonough, the senior foreign policy advisor to incoming President Obama. “I very much appreciate that I am retired and have no position in the Conference of Bishops. It is, however, true that because of relationships that I have had with both [political] parties over the course of many years, I would know most of the actors in this new Administration and am certainly willing to be useful in any way the USCCB or the Holy See would like me to be involved.”

Then a few days later on January 15, McCarrick wrote a cordial letter to the Nuncio mentioning that his “private life” had necessitated him turning down an offer to an engagement with recently elected Vice-President Joe Biden.

The letter details the great intimacy of the relationship between McCarrick and Biden:

“As you know, I am doing my best to keep to the program which Cardinal Re proposed for me. I think I have been relatively successful so far, even though it meant saying no to the new Vice President of the United States. Thank goodness, I think that my relationship with him will still be a good one and I expect that I will be seeing him from time to time and, if Your Excellency would be interested, perhaps working on an invitation for you, as his neighbor across the street, to dine with him, either in his Residence or, if you would so desire, in the Nunciature.”

McCarrick then penned a letter to Cardinal Re, repeating the instance, although somewhat hiding the depth of the friendship he had with Biden, by suggesting that by turning down his offer, there was initially a danger of losing a friend of the Church.

The letter reads: “I have therefore turned down requests by the Office of the President-elect to be present at certain prayer functions and to have a role in the National Prayer Service. The disappointment that I was not able to be available was highlighted by a personal phone call from the Vice President-elect, Senator Joseph Biden. I believe that I took care of this without losing a friend for the Church or for myself, but it is very difficult.”

On occasions, McCarrick also “conversed directly” with Obama about the Middle East, and relations between Palestine and Israel. In January 2010, McCarrick wrote to Sambi regarding the influence which he had in the White House:

“It is true that from time to time they have asked my good counsel on something, but in every one of these instances I had always gone to Your Excellency and to Archbishop Wuerl before I became involved in any advice or counsel to the White House or to the President himself. I am not sure who begins these stories, but I just wanted to assure you that you and Archbishop Wuerl have always been informed whenever I would be in contact with the President or with his aides.”

The relationship stayed close between McCarrick and the Obama administration, so much so that in 2012, McCarrick sat at table with Obama at a dinner hosted by the “Speaker of the House of Representatives, for the visiting Prime Minister of Ireland.” McCarrick “gave the invocation” at the meal.

Related:

Archbishop Viganó issues initial response to McCarrick report. 

McCarrick report will seek to lay blame on John Paul, Benedict while minimizing Francis’ fault.