Cardinal Roger Mahony Stripped Of Duties For Sex Abuse Cover-Up

By Dennis Romero Thu., Jan. 31 2013 at 10:34 PM

Mahoney

We're not sure what a stunning rebuke is, but we're going to guess that this is one.

Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez stated tonight that retired Cardinal and Archbishop Emeritus Roger Mahony would "no longer have any administrative or public duties" for the 4-million-parishioner L.A. Archdiocese.

The announcement came as Gomez unveiled its files related to clergy sexual abuse:

Gomez also said he accepted the the request of Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Curry "to be relieved of his responsibility as the Regional Bishop of Santa Barbara."

In a statement Gomez described the leaders' lack of action as a "failure:"

I find these files to be brutal and painful reading. The behavior described in these files is terribly sad and evil. There is no excuse, no explaining away what happened to these children. The priests involved had the duty to be their spiritual fathers and they failed.
We need to acknowledge that terrible failure today.

Records released by the church revealed that Curry, an advisor to Mahony, formulated ways to prevent police from finding out about priests' sexual abuse of children, including transferring the suspects out of state.

Mahony, the L.A. archbishop from 1985 to 2011, "has expressed his sorrow for his failure to fully protect young people entrusted to his care," Gomez said.

Mahony has been a champion of immigrants' rights and was embraced by the church's largely Latino population.

The release of the files was the result of a 2007 civil suit "global settlement" regarding sexual abuse allegations against local clergy.

Archdiocese spokesman Tod Tamberg told the Los Angeles Times that Gomez's move would not affect Mahony's daily life at a North Hollywood parish, where he resides:

He remains a "priest in good standing," he said.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

Tags:

Catholic church, Los Angeles Archdiocese, priest abuse, sex abuse

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abramsrl topcommenter

So where was the DA all this time? LA is basically a good old boys town where the rich, famous and powerful operate under different rules. Is there still anyone so naive as to think that if the DA had vigorously prosecuted these decades of sexual abuse, DA Cooley would not have found these documents, which finally came out in civil litigation just after Cooley left office?

The degree to which judges make behind the scene deals and hush up the foul deeds of the powerful would astound the average Angeleno. If you were an attorney like Richard I. Fine who made too much fuss over corruption in Los Angeles, Judge Yaffe would put you in jail for 18 months. That's how the LA Courts work -- behind the scene deals and political prisoners.

Whatever happened to the deal to protect Mahony would make a excellent story, but then what reporter wants to spend 18 month a political prisoner like happened to Attorney Fine?

Ruy24

Raised in poverty, my mother’s refusal to deny the three youngest boys the best education incurred a sizable dept with Catholic schools in L.A. When I, the youngest graduated from Salesian High School the debt was in the thousands. A letter from my mother to Cardinal Mahoney explaining our hardship was answered and the debt was forgiven. The juxtaposition in my memory of the atrocities of the catholic church in L.A. and all the times the Church helped our family--- I’d imagine isn’t unique on how we feel about the Catholic Church. My childhood spent in a safe, supported, and encouraging environment at the Church’s all around L.A. makes it difficult to comprehend the atrocities that also occurred in those same environments.

godlessjim

Mr. Romero as an L.A. victim and activist and former L.A. Weekly employee may I suggest the Weekly investigate victims complaints about SNAP the organization that poses as victims voice. They are a front for the Church. Victims have lots of questions about SNAP that SNAP never answers. Counter intelligence is a very old part of doing business for the Church. Please Please contact me and check this out I can connect you to victims across America that loathe SNAP's manipulation of victims. Jim Robertson

skibrs

Here is a list of 173 accused Minnesota clerics....(updated)

---http://mnsnap.wordpress.com/villainous-mn-clerics/

Added: --- Br. Stephen P. Baker (Franciscan Friar) with 1978-1981 Minnesota assignments at Parish of St. Patrick in Inver Grove Heights and St. Bridget Church in Minneapolis