A Roman Catholic priest in Illinois has been reinstated to the ministry after being cleared of an allegation he engaged in sexually abusive behavior decades ago.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago sent letters to multiple parishes on Monday announcing that Father Matthew Foley was found not guilty by an investigation that involved civil authorities and a denominational independent review board. These parishes are where Foley had served in various ministry roles over the past few decades.
Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, wrote in his letter to St. Gall Parish that “the IRB today determined that there is no reasonable cause to believe Father Foley sexually abused the person making the accusation.”
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“In addition, the IRB recommended that Father Foley be reinstated to ministry and that the file be closed. I have accepted their recommendation effectively immediately,” wrote Cupich.
“I publicly affirm that Father Foley is a priest in good standing and express sincere appreciation for his many years of service to the People of God. He deserves our respect and gratitude and I hope you will join me in thanking him for his long-standing dedication.”
Cupich noted that while it was “important to stress that the welfare of the children entrusted to our care is of paramount importance,” the Catholic Church “must restore the good name of anyone so accused when the allegations are found to be unsubstantiated.”
“We encourage anyone who feels they have been sexually abused by a priest, deacon, religious or lay employee to come forward. They will be received with dignity and compassion,” he added.
In January, Foley was temporarily removed from ministry following an allegation that he had abused a minor while serving at St. Agatha Parish around 30 years ago.
The archdiocese sent letters to parishes where Foley had served, informing them about the allegation and how it was being investigated by both secular authorities and church officials.
“After the civil authorities have finished their work, the archdiocese will complete its investigation and report the results to our Independent Review Board,” read the January letter sent to St. Agnes of Bohemia Parish, where Foley had served from 2000 to 2008.
“We ask that you reserve judgement on this allegation until the process has concluded, as those accused are innocent until proven otherwise. We appreciate your patience. Only by conducting a thorough and impartial review can we ensure fairness to all concerned.”
Over the past several years, the Catholic Church has wrestled with scandal surrounding the failure of many leaders to report longstanding sexual abuse among priests.
In response, the church has made efforts to increase accountability and the protection of minors, though some advocates believe that better reforms have yet to be fully implemented.
