LAT: Protecting Mahony was church's "cardinal" objective

[DeepModem Mom]

Steve Lopez:
Protecting Mahony was church's cardinal objective
July 17, 2007

So, on the eve of being called to testify in the first L.A. clergy abuse trial, Cardinal Roger M. Mahony settled with 508 claimants for a staggering $660 million, the largest such settlement in the entire country.

Was anyone surprised?

If so, God help you.

All along, the Los Angeles Archdiocese — which was once compared to La Cosa Nostra by the head of a Catholic review board — had one primary objective.

The truth? Not a chance.

Justice? Forget about it.

The top priority?

Keep Mahony off the stand.

Under oath, he would have been forced to explain exactly what he knew about the scandal and what he did, or didn't do, in response.

Apparently, that's not something the cardinal wants anyone ever to know.

Kind of scary, isn't it?

As for the victims, I know it would have been hard to find a consensus among 500 litigants, but I would have preferred to see them hold off on a settlement until after Mahony was forced to squirm his way through a trial or two.

Roger the Dodger has already admitted — albeit without much detail — that he left five priests in the ministry despite complaints of molestation. And my newspaper has counted 11 other cases in which priests stayed on the job despite parishioners' concerns about inappropriate behavior with children.

Although the settlement agreement requires the archdiocese to turn over internal documents to a judge who will decide which ones go public, Mahony said he still considers some files "privileged" under the law. Prosecutors and victim attorneys, who have fought for years to get the good cardinal to come clean, don't necessarily agree....

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lopez17jul17,0,7947123.column?coll=la-home-center

[nini]

1. He's a pompous bastard

I've seen him at mass at the Cathedral and there's just something about him that gives me the creeps - I am NOT surprised by this and actually had heard this before.

[goclark]

4. It is a sin and a shame

Lord forgive them for they no not what they do.

[Stuckinthebush]

5. Hell, they know what they do....

It's all about power and maintaining the power.

[goclark]

8. Oops, forgot the sarcasm smilie

Here it is....

:sarcasm:

[Stuckinthebush]

9. Ahhhh!

Indeed!

:)

[corkhead]

2. Funny, at first I thought the headline read " carnal objective"

I need to get my eyes checked:crazy:

[TechBear_Seattle]

6. Same difference. n/t

[hedgehog]

3. Here's the part that really gets me: Cardinal Mahoney is responsible in

part for selecting the Pope. Who selected Cardinal Mahoney for this task? The Pope. I trust in the Holy Spirit, but how in the world will She ever be able to clean up this whited sepulcher?

[LibDemAlways]

7. Men who rise to heights of power in the church

are like men who rise to heights of power in politics. It's all about cronyism and fundraising. Holiness has very little, if anything, to do with it. Look at the monument Mahoney built to himself - a $187 million dollar Cathedral that sits close to LA's skid row. Speaks volumes about his priorities.

The Catholic priesthood is an "old boys" network, sort of like the Repukes in Congress. When one of them is caught in a scandal, their natural inclination is to cover up, make excuses, and close ranks. Mahoney is the ultimate insider. His loyalties lie with the priests, truth be damned.