George Clements
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George Harold Clements (January 26, 1932 – November 25, 2019) was an African-American Catholic priest who in 1981 became the first Catholic priest in the Chicago area to adopt a child.[2] He was also instrumental in the Black Catholic Movement, which sought to establish African-American culture in the liturgical and organizational life of the Catholic Church.
In June 1969, Clements became the second Black Catholic priest in Chicago, and was well known for his involvement in civil rights activities from that point onward.[3] He was accused of sexual abuse in 2019, and was partially cleared that same year, shortly before his death.[4] In April 2022, it was revealed that the Archdiocese of Chicago paid $100,000 for a claim settled posthumously against Clements concerning alleged abuse in the 1970s.[5]
Biography
Early life
George Clements was born George Harold Clements in Chicago on January 26, 1932, to Samuel George, a Chicago city auditor, and Aldonia (Peters) Clements. He attended Corpus Christi Elementary School in Chicago, and graduated from Chicago's Quigley Academy Seminary in 1945. He studied at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sacred Theology, and a Master of Arts degree in philosophy. Clements became an ordained priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago on May 3, 1957.[citation needed]
Timeline
- 1945: Became the first black graduate of Quigley Academy Seminary in Chicago, Illinois.[6]
- May 3, 1957: Ordained a Roman Catholic priest in Chicago by Cardinal Samuel Stritch.
- 1960s: Marched with Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. in Alabama, Mississippi, and Chicago.[6]
- 1969: Became priest of Holy Angels Church in Chicago, a position that he held until 1991.[6]
- 1980: Originated the One Church-One Child program concept.[7]
- 1981: Received approval from the Vatican to adopt the first of his four children, becoming the first Catholic priest in the Chicago area to do so.[7]
- 1994: Started the One Church-One Addict program.[8]
- 1999: Started the One Church-One Inmate program.
- May 4, 2007: Completed fiftieth year as a Roman Catholic priest.[9]
Death
Clements suffered a stroke on October 12, 2019.[10] He died on November 25, 2019, at a hospital in Hammond, Indiana, from a heart attack at the age of 87.[11][10] His death was confirmed by his longtime colleague and St. Sabina priest Michael Pfleger and all of Clements' four adopted sons.[11] Both Pfleger and eldest adopted son Joey released public statements on the matter,[11] and the Archdiocese of Chicago also released a statement confirming his death.[12]
Sexual abuse investigations
2019
In August 2019, Cardinal Blase Cupich asked Clements to step aside from ministry while the Church investigated allegations that he sexually abused a minor in 1974.[13][14][15][6] The Chicago Police Department referred the allegation to the Archdiocese of Chicago's Office for Child Abuse Investigations, which then reported the allegations to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and the Cook County State's Attorney.[13][14][15][6]
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services later determined that the allegations were "unfounded” (a designation meaning that the DCFS closed the investigation because it did not concern a current child victim).[4] After an 11-month investigation, the Independent Review Board of the Archdiocese of Chicago determined that "'in light of the information presented, there is not reasonable cause to believe that Clements sexually abused' the accuser when he was a minor."[16]
2022
In April 2022, it was revealed that the Archdiocese of Chicago had recently paid an $800,000 settlement involving the sexual abuse of children by local priests, including $100,000 for a claim settled posthumously against Clements concerning alleged abuse in the 1970s. The archdiocese refused to comment on the matter, and has not added Clements to the list of local priests credibly accused of sexual abuse.[5]
Programs
One Church-One Child
Clements started the One Church-One Child program locally in Chicago at Holy Angels Church in 1980.[17] Though the program was started locally in Chicago, it became a national effort in 1988.[17] The goal of the program was to use churches as a recruitment tool to find adoptive parents for African-American children, a demographic group that often has disproportionately long adoption waiting periods.
One Church-One Addict
After retiring from Holy Angels, Clements moved to Washington, D.C. In 1994, Clements started a program known as One Church-One Addict.[8] The goal of the program was to assist churches nationwide in helping recovering drug addicts through job counseling, spiritual consolation, and professional treatment.[8]
One Church-One Inmate
In 1999, Clements started a program called One Church-One Inmate, a collaborative effort to help prison inmates and their families. The program was designed to facilitate the transition of inmates from incarcerated life to a life as productive and "spiritually healed" law-abiding citizens.[18]
In popular media
The Father Clements Story was produced as a television movie in 1987 by NBC and starred actors Lou Gossett, Jr., Malcolm-Jamal Warner, and Carroll O'Connor. Gossett, Jr. played Father Clements, Warner played Clements' adopted son Joey, and O'Connor played Cardinal John Cody, the Archbishop of Chicago.[19]
Honors and legacy
- 1977: Named priest of the year by the Association of Chicago Priests.
- 1982: North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC) Award winner.[20]
- 1987: Named an honorary chief by a Yoruba tribe in Nigeria.
- 1981: Received the Jason Award from Children's Square U.S.A. for his dedication to youth.
- April 11, 2002: The Kentucky State Legislature passed a resolution HR 117A, a "RESOLUTION honoring Father George Clements for his tireless devotion to the human race and adjourning in his honor".
- May 2007: Golden Jubilee marks Clements 50th year as a Roman Catholic priest. Celebrated at Hilton Chicago banquet and Jubilee Mass at Holy Angels Church Chicago.[9]
References
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- ^ Ritz, M.K. "Priest to talk about adoption", The Honolulu Advertiser. January 14, 2006. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ [1] Script error: No such module "webarchive".
- ^ Richardson, J. (April 23, 2003). Script error: No such module "webarchive".
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Archdiocese settles $800K worth of claims against George Clements, 4 others". WGN-TV. April 27, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Trailblazing Chicago priest accused of molesting boy in the 1970s". NBC News. April 27, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Retired Chicago Priest Under Investigation for Alleged Sexual Abuse in 1970s", NBC 5 Chicago. August 8, 2019. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."History: the Father George Clements story". www.ococtexas.org. Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
- ^ a b c Father clements starts 'one church, one addict' program. (March 14, 1994)
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Porterfield, Harry (May 4, 2007). "Fr. George Clements marks 50 years as a priest". WLS-TV. Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Rev. George Clements has died; famed Holy Angels pastor was advocate for civil rights and adoption". The Chicago Sun-Times. November 25, 2019.
- ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Retired Chicago priest, Civil Rights activist Father George Clements dies at 87". ABC7 Chicago. November 26, 2019.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Slotnik, Daniel E. (November 27, 2019). "George Clements, Priest and Activist, Is Dead at 87". New York Times. Retrieved November 30, 2019.
- ^ a b "Prominent Chicago priest accused in 1974 child sex assault Script error: No such module "webarchive".", Associated Press. WSIL-TV. August 8, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ a b "Archdiocese Probes 45-Year-Old Sex Abuse Claim Against Fr. George Clements, Renowned Chicago Priest", CBS 2 Chicago. August 8, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ a b "Prominent Chicago priest accused in 1974 child sex assault", WGN-TV. August 8, 2019. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
- ^ Pioneering Rev. Clements paved the way for Cardinal Wilton Gregory, Laura Washington. Chicago Sun-Times. November 1, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
- ^ a b [2] Script error: No such module "webarchive".
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Css begins 'one church one inmate' program. (December 2, 1999)". August 13, 2019.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."The Father Clements Story". December 13, 1987 – via IMDb.
- ^ [3] Script error: No such module "webarchive".
External links
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