Cardinal Blase Cupich

Photo: Archdiocese of Chicago

Archbishop of Chicago

Dioceses/Religious Orders: Archdiocese of Omaha, Diocese of Rapid City, Diocese of Spokane, Archdiocese of Chicago

Cardinal Cupich has repeatedly minimized the clergy abuse crisis and failed to act decisively against known abusers. While leading the USCCB’s abuse committee (2002–2005, 2008–2011), he downplayed the issue, falsely claiming in 2010 that abuse was no longer happening. After the 2023 Illinois Attorney General’s report, he denied awareness of 62 priests and religious brothers accused of abuse, despite his own archdiocese providing the names. As bishop of Spokane, he failed to intervene when seven accused clergy lived on Gonzaga University’s campus. In 2017, he secretly transferred Fr. Richard McGrath, OSA, despite an active police investigation into McGrath’s possession of child pornography and sexual abuse of minors, only removing him after law enforcement exposed the case.