The Catholic archdiocese of Los Angeles has stripped a retired cardinal of his duties for mishandling allegations of sexual abuse during his 27-year tenure.
Cardinal Roger Mahony, now retired, has been relieved of any public or administrative responsibilities after the diocese was ordered to release almost 12,000 pages of church documents revealing how it mishandled allegations of abuse.
Nearly 200 priests and bishops were named in the files, which go all the back to the 1930s:
The documents were evidence in 508 civil cases by sex abuse victims that were settled in one stroke in 2007. Victims received $660 million in the landmark judgment.
Most of the documents were inner-church correspondences about accused clergy. The archdiocese fought to purge the names of the accused from the papers until Thursday, when Judge Emilie Elias ruled that they be made public by February 22.
The church published them [on its website] shortly after the ruling. There are 124 personnel files in total, 82 of which reveal sex abuse allegations against minors.
In some cases, the offenders were arrested, but in others they were sent to other diocese or otherwise sheltered from prosecution.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Current Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez, who sanctioned Mahony, called the files “brutal and painful reading.” But in a blogpost on Friday, Mahony, who served from 1984 to 2011, defended his action—and passed the buck to Gomez:
“Not once over these past years did you ever raise any questions about our policies, practices, or procedures in dealing with the problem of clergy sexual misconduct involving minors. I have stated time and time again that I made mistakes, especially in the mid-1980s.
I apologized for those mistakes, and committed myself to make certain that the Archdiocese was safe for everyone.
Mahony’s censure is something, but victims say it’s not nearly enough: “To say to a retired employee that ‘we’re going to give you fewer roles,’ it’s a symbolic gesture and a pretty hollow one at that,” David Clohessy, director of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests told CNN. “He should have been demoted or disciplined by the church hierarchy, in Rome and in the U.S.”
Instead, Mahony, 77, is simply “reducing his public profile,” to use the words of church spokesman Tod Tamberg. “He remains a priest in good standing, and a cardinal of the church.”
Imagine what would have happened to Mahony if he had done something truly despicable, like publicly denounced California’s Proposition 8.
2eo
Why is it always “retired” people who fall on the sword.
Why isn’t anything being done about the christian death grip on paedophilia and pedastry over the whole damn planet?
It isn’t hard, the guilty people are in broad daylight and the evidence to convict is out in the open, why won’t they act.
Charli Girl
Chris CULLIVER needs a job….Bahahahaha
Joetx
Don’t be fooled. This was merely a wrist slap.
Only jail time would be there be justice.
Cam
They had all of this information before. It is only now that it has gone public that they decided to even do something as pathetically underwhelming as relieving somebody who has already retired of his duties.
Pathetic. The church fully supported and protected rapists.
FStratford
Any catholic in L.A. who still continues to fund this criminal’s retirement should be ashamed.
1EqualityUSA
Why aren’t their parishioners running away from these deviants screaming? The Catholic Church is REALLY dark! So EVIL! It’s like they’re being mocked. Who gives one slim dime to this den of thieves? A co-worker was sending her child away to “Camp” where a priest was in charge. All the women at this lunch table immediately and lovingly instructed our coworker to tell her child to watch out for inappropriate behavior and to report if something doesn’t feel right. How is it that parents will even put their children in a situation where a priest is in charge? How is it that five Supreme Court Justices are part of this Catholic corruption. It’s utter madness. Catholics are completely mad. The price paid for idolatry is too high. A dark force has got a hold of this cult and the results are nauseating. Why aren’t people raising their voices? Leaving this farce of a Church? Running these perverts out of town? Listening to them in Washington, DC? Why is the good, little school boy, NOM founder and Princeton Professor, Robert P. George having ANY one THING to do with these evil wolves in sheep’s clothing? It is beyond me. Woe to those who would harm a child.
Rock Star
All I know is that while attending St Margaret Mary’s Elementary school in Lomita CA I was molested several times by the Pastor in the 7th grade and then later when I attended Fermin de Lasuen High School in San Pedro CA I was again molested by another priest. They were a sick bunch, including the Prefect Of Discipline (great job title, eh? ) who took great satisfaction in paddling butt naked boys while he jerked off behind you, and if you dared to turn around (which I did to see his hand in his robes vibrating wildly) he would give you 10 more whacks with his special paddle with holes drilled in it, all the time getting off on my pain. When I complained to my parents they told me not to talk like that and how ashamed I should be for accusing a priest of fondling me, so it was never reported to the authorities. I try to bury this and get on with my life but every time I read something about boys being molested by priests it all comes back to me like it was yesterday. I have not spoken about this in public before, because my family told me that I would embarrass them. But now that they are much older, or dead I feel a need to tell my story. I can’t tell you how much this ruined my life, and made me not trust anyone again. I will never forget when I was punished by the Prefect Of Discipline for no other reason than I happened to have very light blonde hair. I was accused of dying my hair (age 15) and he paddled me for it, while jacking off and then he had the nerve to call my father and accuse him of letting me “dye” my hair. This was a sick bunch of folks who abused me and then punished me for being me. Yes I am gay but that is beside the point. I think they somehow knew I was probably gay and then took advantage of that fact.
1EqualityUSA
Rock Star, speak out. Officially rip them a new one. If not for yourself, then for others who may be just as tormented, but cannot speak out until someone else does. You have words now, put them to work.
Rock Star
@1EqualityUSA: I guess I would if I knew where to turn to but everytime I start thinking about doing something I feel sick and then I back away. The trauma caused by these multiple events has obviously scared me and I can still hear my parents telling me this is not right. I also feel sorry for the molesters for some strange eason. One of the priests is dead, and the other actually was charged by some other family but nothing came of it, except he was transferred to another parish, mine actually. I know it is a hard thing to go up against a powerful entity like the RCC. Also it happened so many years ago, who would believe me. They didn’t believe me when I was 12 and they didn’t believe me when I was 15. Why would they believe me now? I also just remembered that my Aunt washed my mouth out with Ivory soap when I first told her about this and stated that I should never talk like that. (My aunt helped raise me when I was young.) Plus her husband also molested me. So you see I was to say the least a lost boy in a world of confusion, plus because I was and am gay I had mixed feelings about all that happened. Thank you for your support and I will take your advice into consideration, and I thank you for caring.
1EqualityUSA
When you are having these disturbing memories, step into the situation with your current, adult self and put a stop to it, as though you encountered strangers. Say to both parties what your current self would say. Words are powerful. Remember to rescue yourself. The Cosmos has a way of meeting your needs, so listen closely and wait for answers on how to proceed. Betrayal is a difficult burden to overcome, but not impossible. You were seen as an object for their exploitative desires and they will answer for it. Children, people are whole universes and they changed your destiny by their selfishness. Remember to put a stop to the situation in your own mind and step in to intervene. You are not to blame. I wish for you strength, peace, and a way forward. If writing it down helps you articulate this betrayal, then write and let your experience be known. Maya Angelou found her voice and she has yet to stop speaking her mind. Rescue yourself when your mind goes bleak. I’m whacky tired tonight and the first paragraph written as a response to your post just ‘poof’ went away and I couldn’t get it back. I’m really fading tonight. Take care and listen for answers on how to proceed. Healing is hard work.