LA Cardinal Receives Slap On The Wrist For Childhood Sexual Abuse Cover-Up
Just hours ago, the Associated Press reported that now retired 76 year old Cardinal Roger Mahony of the Los Angeles Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church has been stripped of his administrative and public duties in the archdiocese by his successor. Mahony’s key aid during the decades long cover-up of childhood sexual abuse by priests in California, now auxiliary bishop Thomas Curry, also stepped down from his position.
The tie in between Mahony and Curry’s direction of the cover-up was revealed in secret church documents recently released by the courts after another five year cover-up.
Critics of the cover-up contend that these actions are merely a slap on the wrist designed to manage the media and public storm caused by the scandalous facts found in over 12,000 pages of previously secret documents.
The District Attorney’s Office in LA promised to comb through the documents to try to find evidence of criminal wrongdoing sufficient to bring criminal charges against those involved. But the documents are so old that criminal prosecutions probably will not be possible due to the bar of the statute of limitations because so much time has passed due to the cover-up.
It remains to be seen whether the Pope in Rome will reward either of these two men for their cover-up, as he did when Cardinal Law of Boston several years ago had to flee the country due to his role in the Boston cover-up. Cardinal Law then was given a high office in Rome to comfort him in his later years.
When documents and courtroom testimony revealed the role of high church officials in the Delaware cover-up of childhood sexual abuse, no actions were taken against any of these high church officials. Typical examples can be found in chapter five in my recently published book, “When Priests Become Predators: Profiles of Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors” (2012), which recounts the trial of survivor John Vai and illustrates the role of high church officials during their cross-examination on the witness stand.
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