Archbishop George Lucas Video Screengrab / WOWT
CV NEWS FEED // A few days after Omaha Archbishop George Lucas was accused of sexually abusing a 16-year-old boy, the Archbishop issued a second statement denying the claim and revealed that he had already submitted his resignation before being accused of the abuse.
The lawsuit against Archbishop Lucas was filed in St. Louis on July 24, as reported by CatholicVote, and accused him of sexually abusing a 16-year-old boy in the late 1980s, when Lucas was a priest and dean of education at St. Louis Preparatory Seminary.
Archbishop Lucas denied the claim in a statement made on July 25.
“The allegation against me by an anonymous person is a complete fabrication,” he stated. “It never happened.”
According to WOWT News, the Archbishop clarified that his resignation, submitted to Pope Francis on June 12, well before the accusations were made, was standard procedure upon reaching the age of 75. The Holy Father instructed him to continue leading the Archdiocese until a successor is appointed, as is customary.
The Archbishop stated that he is fully open to an investigation by the Holy See because he has nothing to fear from the truth.
“My conscience is clear, and I am at peace before the Lord,” the Archbishop said. “Please join me in praying that the Lord will help us see His plan for the good of the Church. Pray, too, for the person who has made the accusation.”
Archbishop Lucas has served the Archdiocese of Omaha since 2009. WOWT News reports that the lawsuit against Archbishop Lucas is one of five filed on July 24 in Missouri. The lawsuits accuse a total of 56 people, including several priests and nuns, of abuse, noting incidents dating back to the 1940s.
