Details on 11 Priests Missing in '04 Report( Mahoney: Pedo Protector)

LA Times ^ | 4/20/06 | By Jean Guccione and William Lobdell, Times Staff Writers

[BurbankKarl]

Cardinal Roger M. Mahony acknowledged to Los Angeles Catholics in his 2004 "Report to the People of God" that he left five priests in ministry despite complaints that they had molested children.

But a Times analysis of church records released since then shows that he left 11 other priests in ministry for periods up to 13 years after parishioners raised concerns about inappropriate behavior with children.

Seven of these 11 cases were not detailed in the People of God report. The other four were mentioned incompletely; the report said they were removed when complaints were lodged but did not disclose that the Los Angeles Archdiocese had received earlier reports of misconduct.

The Times analyzed edited summaries of personnel records written and posted on a public website by the archdiocese in October. The summaries were first given to counsel for more than 500 plaintiffs suing the church over alleged sexual abuse by priests. The archdiocese and the plaintiffs are engaged in court-ordered mediation.

--

Mahony has fought to keep from releasing full personnel files either to prosecutors or plaintiffs' lawyers in the civil cases. On Monday, however, the U.S. Supreme Court let stand a California appellate court ruling requiring him to hand over to prosecutors the files of two priests who are under criminal investigation.

Legal experts have said the high court's refusal to hear Mahony's appeal increases the likelihood that the Los Angeles church may soon have to hand over many more confidential documents in the civil cases.

[wideawake]

Early on in the scandal Mahony tried to sell himself to the press as the only bishop in America who had boldly confronted the problem and who was forthright with the public.

That spin is now utterly dead.

[NormsRevenge]

incredible.

[pikachu]

Imagine a company or government agency (not congress) where perverts were shuffled around to hush up problems. Public outrage and media pontificating (no pun intended) would be loud. This should be investigated under the RICO statutes and some Cardinals should be imprisoned. I'd also make a case of taking away their tax exempt status as a result for their allowing pedophiles repeated access to children.

[BurbankKarl]

if you read the entire article, Mahoney's Zero Tolerance Policy was "from then on".....and didnt include past activities....

That is crazy.

[Rodney King]

Is there any doubt that Mahoney is a poofter?

[maryz]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the LA Times apparently quite willing to shield him all along -- has something changed? Maybe it was just one reporter, but I'm sure I recall threads here about that when the Boston Globe (which supported Law in all his more crack-brained liberal notions) sprung on him with the scandal (that their reporters had known about for years) and wouldn't let go. I also seem to recall a start-up paper, "The NEW LA Times" or some such, that tried to blow the whistle on Mahony.

[martin_fierro]

Mahoney: Pedo Protector

¿Fart Protector?

[wolfcreek]

Alright Catholics, time to stand up and be heard. It's mostly YOUR children that are being abused.

[conserv13]

I agree 100%.

[Antoninus]

Early on in the scandal Mahony tried to sell himself to the press as the only bishop in America who had boldly confronted the problem and who was forthright with the public.

By the time it's all over, the LA sex abuse scandal will make Boston's problem look like the undercard. Mahoney won't be affected, though, because:

1.) He'll be protected by his "buddies" in politics and the media.

2.) He simply won't obey any directives coming out of the Vatican.

[Antoninus]

Imagine a company or government agency (not congress) where perverts were shuffled around to hush up problems.

Who's to say it doesn't and isn't reported on? I'll bet this happens more often in public schools right now than it ever did in the Catholic Church. And, I'll bet they don't keep the same kinds of disciplinary records that the Church does.

[Antoninus]

Cardinal Roger M. Mahony needs to be replaced by the Pope.

Problem there is that Cardinal Mahoney no longer obeys the Pope. He's been in crypto-schism for many years now.

[wideawake]

I have no idea why the LAT flipped on him.

[wideawake]

I honestly wonder what will happen when Mahony turns 75 and is required to submit a letter of resignation.

He may refuse to go.

I wonder what the domestic legal ramifications of that may be.

[Antoninus]

I honestly wonder what will happen when Mahony turns 75 and is required to submit a letter of resignation. He may refuse to go.I wonder what the domestic legal ramifications of that may be.

I predict it will go as following. Mahoney won't submit the letter. He will then claim that he sent it and the Pope asked him to stay on. If the Vatican contradicts him publicly (which they have only very rarely done in the past when a bishop so nakedly flouts their authority), he'll just say that there was some misunderstanding and then simply not step down.

In my opinion, it will take a public letter from the Pope accepting his resignation to get Cardinal Mahoney to step down. And even then...

[Antoninus]

I also seem to recall a start-up paper, "The NEW LA Times" or some such, that tried to blow the whistle on Mahony.

They didn't last too long, did they?

I think articles like this are put out there by the Cardinal's political handlers to keep him on a short leash. It's all about blackmail.

[wideawake]

And then . . . he still won't step down, I'm guessing.

And if he doesn't I may pull a Sicilian Vespers on him.

[Feiny]

Mahoney makes me projectile vomit. The man has no shame, no conscience & no morals.