ARCHDIOCESE .OF CHICAGO Office of the Archbishop

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Post

°ffice Box 1979 Chicago, Illinois 60690-1979

May 23, 2003

Vincent E. McCaffrey Registration Number 1463 8-424 Federal Medical Center 3301 LeestownRoad Lexington, KY 40511 Dear Vince, I am writing to you today as the Bishop of this local Church. On December 12,2002, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops promulgated as law the Essential Norms for Diocesan Policies dealing with allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Priests or Deacons. This legislation became effective on March 1,2003. It had earlier received the required approval of the Congregation for Bishops. In compliance with this legislation, I would now like to move your case toward laicization. If you are willing to petition voluntarily to the Holy See for laicization, I ask you to contact Fr. Pat Lagges by writing him at the Pastoral Center by July 1,2003. Your letter need only express your desire to be returned to the lay state. The address of the Pastoral Center is indicated at the top of this letter. If you are able, you can telephone Fr. Lagges at (312) 751-8384. If you are not willing to petition personally for your laicization, at the beginning of July of this year, I will send your file to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith with a request that they laicize you by a decree. It would be much better if you would personally petition for laicization. However, if you choose not to, then I will pursue it. If you oppose this action on my part, you have a right to be represented by a Canonical Advocate who would argue your position before the Congregation. To obtain a list of canon lawyers who represent priests in this sort of matter, please contact one of the Vicars for Priests, Fr. Jim Kaczorowski or Fr. Tom Tivy. Their address is: 645 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 543, Chicago, IL 60611. Their telephone number is (312) 642-1837. Please know that you are in my prayers. Sincerely yours,

A^T" Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I. Archbishop of Chicago

be:

Rev. James Kaczorowski Rev. Patrick Lagges Rev. Thomas Tivy Rev. Daniel Smilanic Mr. Ralph Bonaccorsi Ms. Leah McCluskey Mr. John O'Malley Mr. James Serritella Ms. Mary McDonough

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