Cardinal Mahony Warned A Suspected Predator (To Avoid Prosecution)

Roger Cardinal Mahony reportedly warned a priest who was suspected of sexually abusing young people to stay out of California so as to avoid prosecution.

In a letter from more than two decades ago that has been released by SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests), Mahony wrote to the priest:

"For the spiritual and pastoral good of the people of the Dioceses of Stockton, please remain over there in Mexico."

SNAP's spokeswoman, Mary Grant, had this to say:

"What we think Cardinal Mahony should have done is said: 'Bring that priest back here right now. He needs to be arrested,' " Grant said. "That's what somebody who cares about children does."

What do you think?

Comments

[mark]

Please remain in Mexico because you will not be able to incriminate my sordid actions to the district attorney. You see we all have private information about each other. We live in fear that if one of us gets caught, he will rat out on all of us. Then we would be held accountable for these non consenting molestings. The safe method is to pick consenting adults, so we don't get this exposure. I am getting a little nervous because of the movie, "Deliver Us From Evil", will jeopardize my ability to protect myself and the other clergy who are complicit but hidden away. I know! I will change the subject and speak out about political things that keep the focus off of me. So far, I have been able to fool and manipulate the flock. They are just so darn gullible. I am a little concerned that the district attorney is on to us though. Too bad that they are a little more intelligent that the sheep we have fooled. Whatever you guys do (Ochoa, O'Grady, Ziemann, and all the rest of you that I have hidden, "STAY IN MEXICO", or wherever else I have hidden you.
Remember to stick with consenting adults so we can remain under the radar! That is our ticket to freedom.....(Very probable words of Cardinal Mahony!)

[Angela]

I'd like to read the entire letter.
Is it online somewhere?

Thanks,
Angela

[pvmkmyer]

Here's a link to the newspaper article:

http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/15840072.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

[Milly the Millstone]

The man should have been removed long ago.

[Milly the Millstone]

The man should have been removed long ago.

[Michael]

My mother worked for a time as an assistant to the current Bishop of Stockton, Stephen Blair. Blair, as many know, was an auxilary bishop under Mahony for a time. My mother, who has spoken a number times with Mahony himself, has told me that things are going to explode (legally speaking) down in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Apparently, the case that is being built against Mahony is much stronger and much larger than the anything the press has been privy to. It's just a matter of time until the prosecution actually begins.

[Central Valley Catholic]

Maybe this will lead to a purging of all the California bishops, well except Sacramento and Oakland the others can leave with Roger.

[mark]

Let the California purging begin!

[PDS]

Now why is the latest news about Cardinal Mahony not surprising?

[Karen]

But WHEN? I've been hearing that for years.

What is taking so long, and how many souls will be lost while we're waiting?

[Donald]

My wife and I had a meeting with Bishop Brown one time...to discuss incongruities with Rome in diocese practices (I'll leave it there for now...), he was so amazingly indifferent to our discussions, along with his minnions in attendance, he had his secretary bring him a message notice 15 minutes before the meeting's end...I could see through the note, it had one message on it..."10:45"...in other words, she was instructed to alert him of the time so they could blow us off...weeks later, another parishioner we had alerted had a similar meeting with the exact tactics...these Bishops are so transparent and, frankly, the laity has, until recently, allowed them to get away with their collective efforts of deceit.

God bless all who speak up and challenge the many bad Bishops and Archbishops electing to run their dioceses in non-compliance with Rome!!

[A Simple Sinner]

I am not one for grabbing pitchforks and torches right off.

But sometimes, you have to make exceptions.

These guys are embarassing. They teach things that are, to be polite, wide off the mark. They spend money on the ugliest churches in the world, and far nicer homes than the avg Catholic in CA. They mock, abuse, alienate and disenfranchise loyal Catholics seeking to be in touch with tradition.

If even ONE allegation against Cardinal Mahoney is true, send him to prison.

[pvmkmyer]

Karen:

The case against Mahony is taking a long time for 2 reasons, one legal and one practical.

1. Mahony mounted a tremendous effort to keep documents out of the hands of the DA, Steve Cooley. It went all the way to the Supreme Court and the good cardinal lost. This happened earlier this year, so Cooley didn't have access to the various priests' files until recently.

2. Unlike in Boston, where the Boston Globe was relentless in pursuing the story and the actions of Cardinal Law, the LA Times has been not so mysteriously silent on this. They are not digging like the Globe did, and, I believe, are pretty much in Mahony's pocket. After all, they are both very liberal institutions. I have a feeling Cardinal Law was not the liberal that Mahony is.

BTW, the cathedral may be ugly, but the residence they built is really nice!

[Michael Teissere]

Donald, My wife and I also experienced Bishop Tod Brown and his "minnions" Fr. Douglas Cook and Fr. Michael Mckierran, you could read about what happened to us on The Cafeteria Is Closed blog( you have to do search of October 2006) they posted The Fr. Rod Stephens Saga....secret oaths to cover up evil acts of homosexual lifestyles. There are many coverups of this nature going on in The Diocese of Los Angeles and Orange, that is why there are cover ups of the sex abuse crimes. It doesn't take a theologian to figure that out! Donald God Bless you and your wife for standing up for Jesus Christ and His Church , you are truely Soliders of Christ!

[Joseph D'Hippolito]

Why aren't there any canon lawyers who are willing to stand up to Mahony and Brown?

[Ralph Wright]

Mahoney is a fraud. He has forgotten that truth is an absolute and not something he can use as he feels best. If a businessman ran his business as he runs the Archdiocese, his stockholders would have fired him years ago.

[Donald]

Ralph,

You are right on the mark with your corporate America comments...the fact is that the Pope had better be working to uncover significant "dirt" on the U.S. hierarchy and we, the laity, must be patient and pray for his ultimate resolve, or, the problem is worst then we understand and the Churches position of "de-centralized leadership" truly allows these ridiculous Bishops, Archbishops and Cardinals to run their "vessels" as they see fit, and no change will come...may I state, no "earthly" change...what do they say about the "road to hell" and the "skulls of bad Bishops"...eternity is a long time...I would be VERY afraid, but, they don't appear to be!!

[nkbudl]

And now the Church is practically demanding unheard of contributions for the upkeep of dioceses. I'm quite fed up with their making the members pay for all the payments they've had to make for the despicable behavior of their priests whom they protected when they should have prosecuted them. In the 50's the Pope said the seminaries should NOT be open to homosexual candidates but the US Church (which may already have been infiltrated) ignored the advice. . . and now we're all expected to pay for it! I just wonder if we'll ever know the whole story . . . e.g. who was Mahoney's godfather and advisor.

[JEC]

There is a new online petition asking for the removal of Roger Mahony. While I doubt the Holy See will actually "see," at least we can help build a visible critical mass calling for his ousting.

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/374527132

[youngfogey]

Hey Thomistic, if I can't call Mahoney a --------, I wonder what nouns I can use here to characterize Geoghan and Shanley? Just wondering.

[claywoman]

SNAP is involved in covering up sex abuse too. A couple of weeks ago a victim posted on the SNAP board that they were sexually abused when they were 14 yrs old by a women who was in the music department at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Bethlehem, PA. The abuser was Named as Summer Wolf.

Summer Wolf is part of the SNAP leadership in Allentown, PA. SNAP did everything that they could to silence this victim included doubting them publicly on their board, olocking the thread so that no one could comment and finally removing the thread altogether. SNAP claims to stand up for survivors but when the named abuser is one of their own they are quick to silence the victim and protect their leadership.

[Johannim]

We again welcome the annual opening in Anaheim California of yet another Catholic Ed Conference featuring Pope Roger Mahoney and sundry other dignitaries not least will be the grand potentate of Orange county Presbyter Tod Brown of "don't u dare knee fame". A convoy of limos will depart His Beatitude Mahoneys residence in the 3m mansion in Malibu or is it Beverley Hills to preside at the opening service of this august gathering. It is rumoured that rainbow sash members & local 33rd freemasons will form the honour guard and Rosie O'Donnal, Nancy Polosi, Teddy Kennnedy & John Kerry will "CON" celebrate the divine liturgy of the rememberance meal formerly called the Sacrifice of the Mass. About 40.000 are expected to attend and venerate his holiness Mahoney as he and the Dali Lama co-consecrate with the above mentioned dignitaries. Also rumor has it that the good sisters of Family planning will do the liturgical dance for the eccesiastical performers.His all powerful eminence Mahoney is also expected to attempt walking on water in July on the Santa Ana river in Orange County California, the river drys up in july and august. Best of luck to all who attend. Shalom

[Johannim]

ADDENDUM
All this Catholic Ed conference activity must take place before the Los Angeles District Attorney turns over reports of pedophile enabling by the above mentioned prelate Mahoney to the State prosecutor ---- Pacem

[Johannim]

ADDENDUM 2
Also rumoured plans for the Catholic ed conference will be the introduction of corn chips (organic) for use as the host and also organic cool-aid replacing wine for the rememberance service hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[Peter O'Rourke]

If you say that an unholy man can not perform a holy office you are a Donatist heretic. I say that this kind of logic is purely prior restraint. Whatever you say is nullified, by a rule, beforehand. An unholy man can NOT perform a holy office without sullying it. Disrupt the proceedings and speak out. Why throw nuns out on the street while these people live in splendor. Mortgage Castle Gandalfo.