California Catholic Daily's Exclusive Interview With Cardinal Mahony

California Catholic Daily has an eye-opening exclusive interview with Roger Cardinal Mahony.

You can read the interview here: Exclusive Interview with Cardinal Mahony

Then come back and share your thoughts.

Comments

[eliza]

I agree with the general gist of the questions, but it is unfortunate that the interviewer made having "gay friends" sound like it was a sin.

[Peter]

Was that a parody or did he really act like he has absolutely no control over his diocese? As much as I hate to complain about bishops, some of of the stuff he does really takes the cake. I feel for those who have had to put up with this for all these years.

[James]

"Yes, I just want to ask you, how is it that last year we had Father Timothy Radcliffe asking people to go see Brokeback Mountain and read gay novels and make gay friends, and you were sitting right there. Why would a priest be allowed to say that right on the stage here in the arena during his keynote speech? "

---

Hey sons - let's go watch a great movie about one cowboy who sodomizes another cowboy's butt - and who destroy their families - and one of whom rents boys from Mexico to sodomize...

Yeah! C'mon, boys, it's good for ya! Cardinal Mahoney and his 'chums' say so!

Yeah!

James

[Becki]

That was barely even an interview.

[Brian S.]

A nice try to get the Cardinal to answer for his deriliction of duty, but hardly what is needed to bring him down.
Faithful Catholics of the Los Angeles Archdiocese, unite! Network, raise funds, and hire a canon lawyer to file suit against Mahoney for specific violations of Church doctrine, instruction, and law.
He will not be able to spin and evade answering if he's brought before a Curiae Tribunal. That is the only way, short of the grave, that he will be stopped from fomenting scandal.

[Aaron]

He's a two-bit politician.

[Melody]

Peter wrote: "Was that a parody or did he really act like he has absolutely no control over his diocese? As much as I hate to complain about bishops, some of of the stuff he does really takes the cake. I feel for those who have had to put up with this for all these years."

I seriously thought this after reading. Alas, it's not.

[David Anthony Domet]

How much longer can Rome tolerate this poor excuse for a shepherd? Not only is the diocese out of his control, he is out of control!

[David Anthony Domet]

Oh, one more thing...

What's with the authographed picture? Does he think he is a sports star or Hollywood actor?

[Gary]

Oh, Rome will tolerate him for at least another four years, until he reaches the retirement age of 75.

After that, expect him to remain in power for a year or two wrecking the place further until the Vatican sends a replacement.
Expect the new bishop to be only slightly less egregious than Mahony.
There will be a few cosmetic changes, but basically it will be business as usual.

Pardon my cynicism.

I moved my family out of Orange County and away from LA, because I couldn't tolerate the spiritual toxicity of the Mahony-Brown duo. They are schismatics, they have usurped the throne, they have done to Southern California what Henry VIII did to England...

[Jeff Miller]

Interviewer: Are you aware that their is a wolf among your sheep currently munching on one of your flock? Should a wolf be allowed to destroy sheep under your control?

Cardinal: Well, why are you asking me? Ask him.

Interviewer: Should wolves have been invited to come share the pasteur with your flock?

Cardinal: Do you know how many speakers we have here? There’s 198 speakers. There is just no way to tell in advance which ones are wolves and which ones are true shepherds faithful to the flock.

Interviewer: Could you issue a statement afterward saying that you don't agree with wolves devouring your flock and killing their spiritual lives?

Cardinal: Everybody knows what the Church's position on wolves eating sheep is and I think everybody knows what we thought of it.

[James]

Here are the thoughts my wife and I had when confronted with the sickening (literally) priestly homomolestation scandal in our area:

What is one to make of a church that is not only not lifting one up toward God, but which is actually a danger to ones children, both in earthly and spiritual terms?

What do you make of a church whose leaders you trust less than you would any average guy on your street?

What do you make of a church, which, where you live, is actually doing Satan's work, not God's?

Seriously... We ask ourselves those questions.

James

[Kris]

James,

I do hope you're not talking about the Catholic Church. She is pure, holy, and blessed by God.

The things you describe are the works of the devil, acting in the Church's members.

Keep the faith.

Regina sine labe orginali concepta, ora pro nobis.

[JMC]

That is so typical of ANYONE doing something he knows is wrong. Never give a straight answer. I'd say this guy wrote the book on evasive answering.

My rosaries today will be specifically for the people of LA.

[John Hetman]

As I have written elsewhere, I will repeat here:

Roger Cardinal Mahony is the leader of that body of U.S. Catholics that identifies itself as progressive or liberal in the general sense of that term. While many of these men and women are devout, sincere Christians, the circus atmosphere and liturgical excesses engineered by his Eminence and his peers in the liberal prelature border on the scandalous, and constitute a near abomination. I can pray for the soul of the Cardinal, and hope that somehow he accepts with humility the evidence that what he is doing is destructive of the Church, and even Christianity itself. He poses a danger to the faith of many and to their spiritual development in this life and salvation in the next. May the Lord spare him the millstone.

NB Please spare us media release photos of his Eminence. At least we can use current ones.

[James]

Sure, Kris, agreed.

I should have said, what does one think about the leaders of a Church who...

Thanks for the correction.

And - my faith is secure. I came to it many years ago, and it is only far stronger now. Thanks.

James

[MJ]

So, question...

...what are Catholics in this diocese to do? Can they disobey this cardinal (ie, not attend these Masses, choose to attend Masses elsewhere, etc)?

If the answer is yes...well then I have some thoughts.

If the answer is no...well then I still have some thoughts. :)

[James]

Yeah,

I personally think Catholics in this diocese should:

1) Organize and frankly and forthrightly publicize everything disobedient that Mahony does - including at the exit doors from the churches;

2) Publicize all the facts about his deep and sordid involvement in the molestation scandal;

3) Offer pamphlets to all which clarify Church teachings where Mahoney fails to teach them or purposefully undermines them;

4) Get hundreds to write to the Vatican and the Papal Nuncio - and to the USCCB;

5) Drive to parishes led by orthodox and honest and faithfully Catholic priests - and tell your friends and associates why you are doing that;

6) Refuse to give any money whatsoever to the Mahoney team;

7) Pray.

But of course - it is tragic that no one in the Church will do anything about him.

Someone above asked how simple discipline could be foregone while so many souls are at stake.

It is because many are not true fathers who lead the Church - but simply managers - trying to 'get by' without offending, without controversy, without judgment (about acts), without taking a stand, etc. etc.

Managers cannot run a real church. You need real fathers for that. Real fathers ACT to protect the souls of their children.

James

[TM Lutas]

I do wish after the 2nd or 3rd evasion the interviewer would have changed tack a bit. A question like "how bad does it have to get before it's appropriate to ask you instead of asking them?" "Where does your responsibility start to take a stand against error?" "How do you avoid the appearance that you support these heterodox acts and opinions?" "When someone asserts that you support these heterodoxies, what evidence is out there that can set them straight?"

In short, when one line of questioning isn't panning out, change your line of questioning.

[dmedici]

You are the Church Militant and your greatest weapon of change is the rosary.

[JF]

This is so very sad. How can a Prince of the Church not know what is going on in his diocese! He will be responsible before the Father in Heaven for what he does not know, or does not want to know. It is the responsibility of every shepherd to know what someone is going to say before they get up to speak. If a speaker is going to say things against the Church or Her teaching, we usually know who they are before hand. I would like a hand at cleaning out that diocese. It would not happen in my parish. If I had a speaker contradict the teaching of the Church, I would immideately ask him to leave and clarify the Church's teaching. That is my responsibility as a Pastor! Ug...it just gets me so ticked off. When will somebody do something about the unfaithful rebellion in our country!!!!!

[Allyson Smith]

The interview was not a parody. I conducted it. However, I wasn't expecting to run into Cardinal Mahony, so I readily admit I wasn't well-prepared to ask him more pointed questions. It was a spontaneous, impromptu conversation. Thanks be to our Lord and Blessed Mother that the opportunity to speak with him presented itself, despite my failings as a questioner.

[Linda Brusell]

James your right on, but be careful, "MARTIN" may not agree. :-]

[Melody]

Thank you very much for confirming this Allyson.

Personally, I found the entire enchange does show much, although not precisely what everyone is getting at (although these points are truthful).

There is a great problem today in that the proper place of the clergy and the laity is very confused. As David Domet mentions, his picture looks very much like a fan memento of some Hollywood star. I might venture to say the Cardinal has confused himself with one.

I sadly suspect he thought you to be of little influence, and was trying to get rid of you, like so many public figures do. It's not very pastoral certainly.

Amidst the every so worldly atmosphere of Hollywood, it's very easy to lose oneself. Whenever I see some young innocent person become famous, I pray that they will not be lost, but many are eventually.

It's a common affliction--the confusion of living the faith and living of the world, of pleasing God versus having people speak well of you.

And I'm thinking it's always harder for politicians to find heaven than priests.