At a Roman Catholic high school in Pennsylvania, the name of Washington’s archbishop recently was covered with spray paint. Now, the school is removing his name for good.
Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School will remove Wuerl’s name from its title after he was cited in a sweeping jury report as having allowed priests accused of sexually abusing children to be reassigned or reinstated while he served as Pittsburgh's bishop for almost 20 years.
“Bishop David Zubik has accepted these recommendations and is announcing today the new school name is now North Catholic High School,” the release said.
The Diocese of Pittsburgh said Wednesday that Wuerl made the request to remove his name from Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School on Thursday. The school’s sign was vandalized Monday.
“I respectfully ask that you remove my name from it. In this way, there should be no distraction from the great success of the school and, most importantly, the reason for the school -- the students,” Wuerl wrote in a letter on Aug. 16.
After the grand jury report on sexual abuse by priests in six Pennsylvania dioceses was released, several school alumni started an online petition asking to have his name removed from the school.
The 77-year-old Wuerl apologized for the damage inflicted on the victims, but defended himself for his actions, saying he acted to protect children, promptly investigate allegations and strengthen policies as understanding of child abuse evolved.
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The move is part of the growing fallout from a grand jury report that accused a succession of church leaders of covering up abuse by 300 Catholic priests in Pennsylvania since the 1940s.
The name of the school became Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic High School when it first moved to Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania in 2013.
