Sunday, June 20, 2010

Deposition Paints Portrait of Catholic Church Cover Ups

I have addressed the issue of the egregious behavior of Cardinal Roger Mahony before - in fact most recently just earlier this week when Mahony had been quoted as saying that he had none nothing for abused boys because they were "illegal aliens." Prosecutors have in the past said that dealing with Mahony was worse than dealing with a crime family boss. Now, a deposition of Mahony in a civil lawsuit has been released and it underscores the mind numbing moral indifference shown by "prices of the church" to the sexual abuse of children and youths. As a parent, I find the moral bankruptcy displayed appalling. All the more so since these men hold themselves out as "men of God." They merely omit that their GOD is power, control and money. The Los Angeles Times reports on the details of the shocking deposition. Here are some highlights:
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I've said many times that Cardinal Roger Mahony should stop resisting the release of church documents in the sex abuse scandal. But after a Mahony deposition in a molestation case was made public by the courts last week at the request of The Times, I can see why the cardinal has fought to keep things under wraps.
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Despite reports that Baker continued to have contact with minors in violation of church orders, the archdiocese did nothing to stop the priest, who went on to molest other kids. You can see why this one troubles Mahony. But is he troubled about the suffering of the victims or the reflection on him?
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Consider this exchange between the cardinal and attorney John Manly, who was representing one of Baker's many victims: Manly: I mean, you would agree with me that the first thing any priest should do … when you learn that a priest has molested a child is call the police, right? Mahony: Not necessarily.
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It's not a difficult question. A child is abused; that's a crime, so you call the police and rush to the aid of the minor, right? Not Mahony. . . . [H]e didn't call the police and he didn't call the parish where Baker was living to warn of other potential victims. Manly: I take it at that point you instructed your staff to try and find the kids? Mahony: No, I did not.
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"It's utterly ridiculous for him to say, 'I couldn't find them,' " [Attorney Lynne] Cadigan said of Mahony. "He didn't want to find them." In fact, Cadigan said, the boys' mother worked at the parish where they were molested. Baker knew that, and continued molesting the boys for years, according to Cadigan, in Los Angeles, Mexico and Arizona.
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[I]s there any reason to believe that without lawsuits, media pressure and the threat of criminal prosecution, there would have been any changes [in the Church]at all? And would there have been the $660-million payout in 2007, when the archdiocese settled 500 cases of clergy sex abuse? As we saw again last week, the cardinal is a man who, even when he admits mistakes, doesn't seem capable of taking full responsibility for the consequences of them.
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Despite this clear malfeasance - which ought to merit criminal prosecution - mindless Catholics continue to grovel and kiss Mahony's pompous, corrupt ass. And he is only one of a plethora of princes of the Church who acted in similar manners. I literally cannot understand it.

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