Only FOX 29 News was there when Father Andrew McCormick walked into
the Special Victims Unit in handcuffs Thursday night to face charges of
involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a 10-year-old altar boy
inside the rectory at a Port Richmond church back in 1997.
"Inside
the rectory at St John Cantius sexual contact was made with this
10-year-old little boy," Capt. John Darby of the Special Victims Unit
said.
McCormick, 56, is charged with indecent sexual assault, statutory sexual assault, sexual assault, indecent assault, indecent exposure, endangering the welfare of a child and corruption of a minor.
District Attorney Seth Williams says McCormick, the former pastor in
charge of altar boys at St. John Cantius, tried repeatedly to ensure
that the 10-year-old would not tell anyone about the sexual assault.
"The
defendant would repeatedly tell the boy masturbation is a sin,
homosexuality is a sin, pre-marital sex is a sin and lying is a sin,"
Williams said.
Investigators say the victim is now 25. He came
forward last December citing the Penn State sex scandal and priest abuse
cases here. McCormick was suspended by the Archdiocese with more than
two dozen priests in 2011. His former parishioners here were stunned to
hear of his arrest.
"It's very sad because we felt he was a wonderful priest. He did his job," said parishioner Gloria Jankiewicz.
"I don't believe he did it whatever they're accusing him of. I know he didn't do it," another parishioner added.
McCormick
also served as pastor at Sacred Heart Church in Swedesburg, Montgomery
County where he was credited by parishioners with re-invigorating the
church.
"It's a shame, it really is. The Catholic church is going down the tubes," said Ryan Henderson of St. John Cantius.
Williams
added, "We have reason to believe and to suspect that there are other
victims of Mr. McCormick, who frequently took boys to Poland."
Investigators
say there were numerous instances of contact with this 10-year-old,
but it involved just one sexual incident. The DA praised the courage of
the young man who came forward.
