Cardinal George steps up

Cardinal Francis George on Friday barred the Rev. John Calicott from further visits to Holy Angels parish in Bronzeville after ruling the priest violated church rules concerning priests accused of sexual misconduct.

The cardinal’s move comes two days after it was disclosed that Calicott, who has admitted to sexual misconduct with two teenage boys in 1976, had returned to his former parish to talk to school children about sexuality.

“Father John Calicott’s recent activities at Holy Angels Parish and School are in violation of the archdiocesan monitoring protocol which supports the Charter for the Protection of Young People adopted by the U.S. Bishops Conference,” George said in a statement.

“I have issued a canonical decree, effective immediately, to clarify the requirements of the protocol,” George said. “Father Calicott cannot teach in or visit any school and must absent himself from Holy Angels Parish until his case is fully adjudicated.”