Postcard from Cardinal Mahony at the Vatican

[shnozzola]

For a moment, it looked as if Cardinal Roger Mahony, of Los Angeles, might be excluded from the conclave that gathers this week to select a new Pope. Under a settlement with some five hundred plaintiffs, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles had been forced to release the records of its dealings with priests accused of sexually abusing children. The settlement was reached in 2007; the Church finally released the records in January. There were twelve thousand pages, and they revealed a by now dispiritingly familiar picture: years of shielding accused priests from criminal charges, and a concern for the reputation of the Church that too often trumped empathy for the victims. Mahony was then the archbishop, and he and other Church officials exchanged letter after letter about one priest, recommending that he stay away from L.A., where he might attract unwanted attention, presumably from the law; he eventually admitted to molesting the children of undocumented immigrants, and allegedly threatened at least one of them with deportation if he told. Meanwhile, the Church provided the priest with residential treatment and a position in another state.

But last week, as Pope Benedict XVI was preparing to step down, Mahony was sending sprightly tweets from the Vatican: “Good weather forecast for this week in Rome; no rain. Mid 50s during the day, upper 30s at night. Great Holy Spirit weather!!”

Read more: http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2013/03/11/130311taco_talk_talbot#ixzz2N9Dl1aou


I understand that many christians generally and rightly admit they are no better than anyone else.   That is why I absolutely  despise the actions of the church as a whole that show "protecting its reputation" seems paramount in this Mahoney affair.    How horrible.  How hypocritical.   
Ah, but always forgiven.  Almost like there is no hell, no god, at all.  Ironic that while many atheists may be drifting dreamingly into death, one Roman Catholic Cardinal may be shaking in his fancy boots.

[IAmFirst]

Mahony for POPE! Clearly he's the most qualified. 

This organization is the mot divorced from the alleged "teachings" from an illiterate apocalyptic. Protecting an evil liar like Mahony from (shudders) man's law is a modern abomination at its best.

[nogodsforme]

That is disgusting-- preying on the weakest who have the least recourse. That priest should be in jail on charges and the cardinal should be in the next cell over.

[12 Monkeys]

If you were a football coach and had been molesting young men for decades,and finally brought to light,you pay for it (sandusky?
). Why can't a priest or cardinal be held accountable?

[Nick]

If you were a football coach and had been molesting young men for decades,and finally brought to light,you pay for it (sandusky?
). Why can't a priest or cardinal be held accountable?

Because in the eyes of the church these men are priests.  As such they are priests forever and have special powers...forgive sins, turn bread and wine into body and blood of Christ, etc.  They can't admit that a priest could do this kind of thing.  The church must be protected at all costs.  That is why in some cases you see the church blaming the victims.

[12 Monkeys]

^^^ why has Johhny Law(police and prosecutors) ignored these crimes? The law is the same for the pedophile ice-dream man as it is for the child molester priest. The ice-cream man would not get kid-glove treatment,but the priest does,why?

[Traveler]

^^^ why has Johhny Law(police and prosecutors) ignored these crimes? The law is the same for the pedophile ice-dream man as it is for the child molester priest. The ice-cream man would not get kid-glove treatment,but the priest does,why?

Perhaps no one filed a police report? I had an uncle by marriage (dead now) who was a child molester. He was a lutheran minister, and he was protected and shuffled around just like the catholic priests have been. No one would press charges, so there was nothing the law could do. 

[12 Monkeys]

^^^ why has Johhny Law(police and prosecutors) ignored these crimes? The law is the same for the pedophile ice-dream man as it is for the child molester priest. The ice-cream man would not get kid-glove treatment,but the priest does,why?

Perhaps no one filed a police report? I had an uncle by marriage (dead now) who was a child molester. He was a lutheran minister, and he was protected and shuffled around just like the catholic priests have been. No one would press charges, so there was nothing the law could do. 

Shuffled around to remain almost anonymous for the next victim......people who have come forward(remember they were fearful children at the time) and still have not seen any perps sent to prison.

[nogodsforme]

I have a child molester uncle by marriage as well. He was in a powerful position in the community-- the high school principal in a small town-- and nobody ever reported him, either. It was one of those situations where not a single person would have supported the kids' word against his. (And this was back before the internet could be used to ruin and slime a victim's reputation....)

The evil bastard never went to jail, but he's dead and in hell being eff'ed in every orifice by demons 24-7 now.