Lawsuit accuses Mahony of improper response in abuse case; archdiocese denies it

Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony and the Vatican engaged in a "conspiracy of silence" by transferring a priest from Italy to Los Angeles, where he went on to molest teenagers at a Koreatown church, a lawsuit alleges.

The complaint also accuses Roman Catholic officials, including Mahony, of "destroying and manipulating evidence" of the molestations in 2003 by Father Fernando Lopez.

Lopez was convicted in 2005 of molesting three teenagers he met through parish functions from 2001 to 2004 while he was an associate pastor at St. Thomas the Apostle parish.

A spokesman for the Los Angeles archdiocese strongly denied the claims, saying officials had acted promptly, including notifying police, when allegations about Lopez first surfaced.

The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court last week by one of the victims, identified in court papers as John V.G. Doe, who said that at age 14 he was molested by Lopez in the church rectory, office and Lopez's car.

In his lawsuit, the plaintiff, now 20, alleges that Vatican officials in Rome transferred Lopez to Los Angeles, knowing that he was a sexual abuser. The complaint contends that Lopez was sent to a low-income, primarily Latino parish where parishioners would be reluctant to contact law enforcement because of their devotion to the church.

Tod M. Tamberg, a spokesman for Mahony and the Los Angeles archdiocese, vehemently denied the allegations.

Tamberg said the archdiocese removed Lopez from ministry within two hours of learning about the sexual abuse allegations at the Koreatown church. He said the archdiocese conducted its own investigation at the parish, which turned up two additional victims.

Tamberg said police were notified immediately of all three cases. "All along the way, we have done the correct thing," the spokesman said.

-- Duke Helfand and Victoria Kim

Comments

[Amos]

The question that was ignored is: "Did Mahony and/or any of his clerical help know that Lopez was a sexual abuser before they consented to do a favor for some highly placed dignitary in the Vatican and move him to LA?

[Mark Gauer]

Tod Tamberg has made these false claims over and over regarding the criminal behavior of the L.A. Archdiocese and Cardinal Mahony. Why would the L.A. Archdiocese settle for $550 million if it wasn't guilty. Mahony continues to fight the release of documents that were promised to be released in addition to the $550 million. People just don't trust the leaders of the church anymore and for good reason.

[Gabe]

I would really like to believe that the archdioicese acted appropriately, but Mahony's track record has not exactly been one of integrity. I give this survivor kudos for being brave enough to come forth and actually take on the archdiocese. I don't believe, unfortunately, that it will go anywhere - Mahony has too many lackies in the system. Plus, unfortunately, too many judges and lawyers and definitely jurors, are afraid to take action against a cardinal. I think they fear they will burn in hell for doing so. The reality is that THEY aren't the ones who will be burning in hell.

[David L. Gamaliel]

Or, the possibility exists that things are exactly as Mahony claims. "Innocent until proven guilty" has got to mean somethings folks. It's not just an abstract theory. But it doesn't give nearly as much satisfaction as jumping to conviction, does it?

[Victoria Martin]

As a childhood victim of clergy sexual assault by a catholic priest (not in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles) I, probably more than many of you, have wondered what happened to these men of the church to have caused them to go so wrong in their lives. I don't think for a minute that they ALL started out as sexual predators, or enablers of sexual predators. Did it happen when they were altar boys? When they were in the seminary studying to be priests? Instead of continually talking about putting all this scandal behind "Us", we should be trying to find out the causes of why those who espouse to speak for the Almighty, instead abandon themselves to Perversion and Inhumanity. The reason being that the victims are still among you and those victims are still suffering. I personally don't know if Roger Michael Cardinal Mahony sold his soul for the trappings of wealth and power; but if he did, he did so long before he came to Los Angeles.

[Victoria Martin]

Amos, we will never know the answer to your question unless, of course, somebody, either at the highest levels of the "GREAT WITHIN", (The Vatican), or the perpetrator, or Mahony, himself, talks. And Nobody Is Going To Do That.

[Central Valley]

Mahony and classmate Bp. John T. Steinbock just testalied in a Fresno court and won. Maybe they can get the Cardinal in Los Angeles. Time and the truth will catch up with Roger.

[mike ference]

War Tactics Should Be Applied to Abusers and to Those Who Offered Protection
By Mike Ference

Every day brings new evidence that we no longer live in a civilized and principled society. The worst part, it usually concerns another case of sexual misconduct involving a Catholic priest, young children and a church hierarchy that helped to cover up the case.

The recently unveiled federal grand jury investigation into the Los Angeles Archdiocese and it’s leader, Cardinal Mahony clearly suggests that a regime change should have been made long ago.

To be sure, media pressure and public outrage and a billion dollars in pr fees, legal fees and settlements have inspired displays of contrition from Mahony But as more and more cases of abuse — and cover-up — come to light, one begins to wonder whether Mahony should be considered any more trustworthy than, say, Saddam Hussein.

So — what should be done if the grand jury finds Mahony to be just another member of the hierarchy more concerned with protecting dysfunctional sex freaks than innocent children? Given the level of wreckage and anguish caused in the lives of so many people, it seems appropriate to look to the war on terror for a model strategy.

A first prong of attack might involve a Special Forces unit made up of highly skilled and trained military personnel capable of tracking down and obtaining confessions from any current or former priests accused of acts of sexual abuse against children. If rights are violated, if military personnel sometimes go a little too far, so be it. The Catholic Church had ample opportunity to fess up and repent. Those incapable of civilized behavior shouldn’t expect the rights and privileges of civilization.

A deck of cards can be created to help identify hard-to-find priests as well as the disgraceful church leaders who permitted, and in essence, condoned the sexual abuse of young children. Photos of the most deviant and reprehensible church officials accompanied by a list of their offenses will encourage us all to do our patriotic duty in helping the authorities track down suspected priest-terrorists or at least be able to identify the culprits as they come and go freely because their sins where covered up and the time to criminally prosecute has expired.

Another option would be to divide the nation into territories. A color-code warning system would be established, alerting parents about abusive priests being transferred into their respective regions. Depending on the designated color for a particular region, parents would know whether their children should serve at Mass, go on field trips, or even attend Catholic school that day.

To aid this unique war on terror, a pool of money should be collected, not involuntarily from taxpayers, but voluntarily from those decent human beings who believe crimes committed against our children are sins that God takes very seriously. Some of the funds raised could then be turned into outrageously tempting reward sums for information leading to the capture of our targeted criminals. Once the rogue clerics have been imprisoned and forced to talk, I recommend that their confessions be given to someone like Steven Spielberg or George Romero. Hollywood writers and producers could create a blockbuster movie like Roots or Schindler’s List to serve as a bitter reminder that these crimes should never again be permitted to occur. Tom Savini could be hired to recreate the horror on the faces of child actors chosen to play parts.

Proceeds from the movie could go to victims of abuse and their families. And no matter how old the crime, compensation would be available. There should be no statute of limitations when the rights of children have been violated by those who lived much of their adult lives perched on a pedestal heightened by the trust of innocent and vulnerable believers. In fact, I would extend compensation to the second and perhaps even third generation of sufferers. It would certainly include siblings denied the experience of growing up with a brother or sister untraumatized by such abuse. And since crimes of abuse tend to echo, it would extend to the victims of the victims as well.

If all else fails, is it any less rational to declare war on the Catholic Church as part of a war on child abuse than it was to declare war on Iraq (which had nothing to do with 9/11 or Al-Qaeda and apparently had no weapons of mass destruction) as part of a war on terror? How many innocent children have been verifiably lost to this menace — and how many more will be lost if we don’t make a preemptive strike?

As horrific as sexual abuse by priests may be, the perpetrators might merit a more forgiving place if only their superiors had the courage to do the right thing. For a few, counseling and close supervision might have been enough to prevent future abuses. Others clearly required something more intensive — a mental hospital or a prison.

But repeated abuse, as well as willfully hiding the crimes and the criminals — as far as I can see, this brings us much closer to the realm of mortal sin. And the sinners include not just the church hierarchy, but also attorneys who ill-advised parents not to buck the system and take on the Catholic Church, or may even have provided inside information to thwart legitimate cases against the church, law enforcement officials who may have thought it best to warn church officials of pending investigations, and janitors, housekeepers, teachers, and employees of the Catholic Church who kept silent because of concerns about a paycheck, a 401K, a pension, or a fear of standing up to church authorities. God has a place for everyone — and if you abuse children or protect the abusers of children, we can only hope that your place is called hell.

[Glendale RomanCatholic]

www.bishop-accountability.org/abusetracker for daily verifed & vetted reporting on the TRUTH. The child body counts and billions in squandered laity monies over decades speak for themselves in overt criminality.

[Glendale Roman Catholic]

www.bishop-accountability.org/abusetracker for daily verifed & vetted coverage on the real child body counts, billions in ripped off laity mones.

Who is really GUILTY beyond any reason doubt, as well as a CLEAR & PRESENT DANGER? Hint: Frist name begins with 'R' and last name begins with 'M'.

[Victim Jihadist]

How do you get a nun pregnant at OLA? Dress them up like an altar boy.

Rog "Mahal" Mahony makes Larry Flint look great in comparison.

The single largest pedophile ring in CA is Mahony's LA Archdiocese; how come the cops are not prosecuting? Answer: Because they are in on it, or blackmailed, themselves.

The Teflon Cardinal will walk and never be prosecuted. After all, he's not in league with Satan, he's an equity holder and board member of HELL, INC.

[Wake up Catholics]

Tamberg is a professional liar.

Mahony has made it a sacrament.