Victim of priest molestation urges Pope Francis to defrock Mahony

A man who will receive part of a $10-million settlement from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles for abuse by a former priest on Thursday called on the new pope to punish church leaders who had covered up molestation of children.

Michael Duran, one of four men who settled with the church over claims that they were abused by former cleric Michael Baker, said there should be consequences for Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, who had learned of Baker's abuses in the 1980s but allowed him to remain in ministry.

"I hope the new pope defrocks the cardinal," Duran said at a news conference outside a downtown L.A. courthouse.

FULL COVERAGE: Priest abuse scandal

Baker, a convicted pedophile, has been accused of harming at least 23 boys during his three decades in the priesthood. Mahony has said he was most "troubled" by the case of Baker, whom he allowed to remain in the church after the man personally confessed to the former archbishop in 1986 that he had molested two boys.

Duran will receive nearly $1 million for what he described as repeated "rape" dating from the 1980s. As his wife stood beside him, he said he believed he was one of the two children Baker was speaking of when he confided to Mahony.

"He made the decision not to look for me, to get me the help I needed," he said.

FULL COVERAGE: The papal conclave

His attorney, John Manly, said law enforcement had failed to hold the cardinal and other church leaders criminally accountable. The settlement announced this week was the first since the January release of 12,000 pages of internal church records that showed the cardinal and his top aides had discussed shielding abusive priests.

The cardinal has apologized for his handling of Baker. A church attorney said this week that the archdiocese has "taken responsibility" for harms caused by the ex-priest.

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Photo: Michael Duran, who will receive nearly $1 million in a sex abuse settlement with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, holds up pictures of himself when he was a child after a news conference on Thursday. Duran wants Pope Francis to defrock Cardinal Roger Mahony over his role in the cover-up. Credit: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images

In West Hollywood, Pope Francis' stand on gays is unimpressive

For Giancarlo Urey, a 29-year-old lawyer who spent the day in West Hollywood when Pope Francis was named to the papacy, the new leader's anti-gay stance is not a good sign.

Like his predecessor in the Vatican, Francis is equally committed to conservative, traditional doctrine, people who know him say, a sensibility fostered in part by his theological studies in Germany.

He was a staunch opponent of abortion and same-sex marriage, issues that an increasingly secular Argentina has embraced. He once said allowing gay couples to adopt constituted discrimination of the children.

PHOTOS: A new pope is chosen

"I think it's just another reminder that the Catholic Church doesn't progress with the times," said Urey, who is gay.

Urey, who was raised Baptist and lives downtown, said he doesn't expect the sentiment to change anytime soon.

"I'm not hopeful that as an institution it will turn around," he said. "But I hope individuals will open their eyes. There's always hope."

FULL COVERAGE: The papal conclave    

Urey, who has Bolivian and Guatemalan roots, said he doesn't think the selection of an Argentine pope is too surprising considering the prevalence of Catholicism in Spanish-speaking countries.

And in many ways, he said, an Argentine pope isn't that much of a change.

"I'm not impressed, I'm not excited," said Urey, who called Argentina "about as European as you can get."

INTERACTIVE: Choosing a new pope

Before he was pope, as Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, the archbishop of Buenos Aires, Francis reportedly described gay marriage as the work of the devil and a “destructive attack on God’s plan.” He has also said that gay adoption is a form of discrimination against children.

L.A. Catholics hope Pope Francis will further address abuse

As L.A.-area Catholics praised the selection of Pope Francis, many said they hoped the new pontiff would further address the sex abuse scandal that has rocked the church.

"He's got a lot of things to do right now," said Leo Medina, 65, who sat on a bench in Lynwood's Plaza Mexico on Wednesday afternoon.

Medina said he believes the abuse allegations are the most important issue facing the church.

PHOTOS: A new pope is chosen

"It's really damaging to the church," he said. "I think a lot of people changed their religion because of this."

"It's not really easy to fix this," he continued. "The damage is already done."

Francis, 76, succeeds Benedict XVI as leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics. Benedict stunned the church when he stepped down last month, becoming the first pontiff to do so in six centuries.

FULL COVERAGE: The papal conclave

Francis is the first pontiff from the Americas and the first non-European pope selected in more than a millennium.

The Catholic Church has been roiled in recent years by allegations of clergy abuse in the United States, Ireland and England dating back decades. In Los Angeles, recently released court files offered evidence that some church officials made a concerted effort to shield abusers from police.

Last month, in a move unprecedented in the American Catholic Church, Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez relieved his predecessor, Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, of all public duties over Mahony's mishandling of clergy sex abuse of children decades ago.

INTERACTIVE: Choosing a new pope

Auxiliary Bishop Thomas J. Curry, who worked with Mahony, also resigned his post as a regional bishop in Santa Barbara.

Impact of Pope Francis 'unimaginable,' Cardinal Mahony says

Cardinal Roger Mahony said in a televised interview the impact new Pope Francis will have on the world is "unimaginable."

Despite being rebuked recently by Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez for his handling of sexual abuse cases, Mahony participated in the conclave that elected Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina as the 266th Roman Catholic pope.

“It’s unimaginable, the impact that this is going to have across the world, in particular, of course, obviously, Latin America," Mahony told KCBS-TV Channel 2 in Rome shortly after Francis greeted cheering crowds in St. Peter’s Square.

FULL COVERAGE: The papal conclave

"It’s the first time we’ve ever had a Southern Hemisphere pope," he continued. "It’s the first time we’ve ever had a Latin American pope. It’s just extraordinary, extraordinary."

Following the release of documents showing Mahony and Bishop Thomas Curry worked to shield child-abusing priests from police, Gomez removed Mahony from all public duties. In the CBS2 interview, the former Los Angeles archbishop defended his actions.

“Much of the criticism comes from ignorance of not knowing what has happened, I mean, the extraordinary efforts we’ve taken,” Mahony said. “We’ve passed every compliance audit with flying colors. And I dare to find somebody who can tell me, ‘What have we not done yet?’ Please let me know, and we’ll do it.”

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New pope: Cardinal Mahony defends record on priest abuse

Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony, in Rome for the selection of Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina as the new pope, praised the choice but also defended his record on handling priest abuse cases.

Mahony spoke as many Los Angeles Catholics rejoiced at the selection of the first pope from Latin America.

He said he thought it marked a historic change.

FULL COVERAGE: The papal conclave    

“This is unimaginable," Mahony said in an interview with KCBS. “The impact this is going to have, particularly, of course, in Latin America. It’s the first time we ever had a Southern Hemisphere pope. It’s just extraordinary.”

Records released earlier this year showed that Mahony and other church officials plotted to hide priests who abused children from police in the 1980s. Some critics had urged Mahony not to go to Rome to help select a pope.

Mahony defended his record in the KCBS interview. “Much of the criticism comes from ignorance of not knowing what has happened, and the extraordinary efforts we have taken. We have passed every compliance audit with flying colors," he told the station.

PHOTOS: A new pope is chosen

The selection of Bergoglio marked a moment of jubilation at an otherwise precarious time for America’s largest archdiocese.

About 70% of the Catholic population in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles is Latino, and it’s not uncommon in Spanish-speaking neighborhoods to see signs proclaiming “Este hogar es catolico” or “This home is Catholic.”

“I never thought this would happen,” said Eduardo Ahamad, 56, who runs the Rincon Argentino grocery store in Glendale. He is of Mexican and Argentine descent and had expected the new pope to come from where so many others had: Italy.

INTERACTIVE: Choosing a new pope

New pope: Cardinal Mahony 'absolutely ecstatic' over Bergoglio

Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony cheered the selection of Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina as the new pope.

“This is unimaginable," Mahony told KCBS-TV Channel 2 anchor Sylvia Lopez in an interview in Rome. “The impact this is going to have have. Particularly, of course, in Latin America. It’s the first time we ever had a Southern Hemisphere pope. It’s just extraordinary.”

He added: “I am ecstatic. Absolutely ecstatic. In fact, I really have a hard time sitting down.”

Across Southern California on Wednesday, many Catholics rejoiced that the background of the church’s new leader resembled theirs more closely than those of his European predecessors.

The selection of Bergoglio marked a moment of jubilation at an otherwise precarious time for America’s largest archdiocese, which has been roiled by new allegations that church leaders plotted to hide child abuse by priests from police.

PHOTOS: A new pope is chosen

About 70% of the Catholic population in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles is Latino, and it’s not uncommon in Spanish-speaking neighborhoods to see signs proclaiming “Este hogar es catolico” or “This home is Catholic.”

“I never thought this would happen,” said Eduardo Ahamad, 56, who runs the Rincon Argentino grocery store in Glendale. He is of Mexican and Argentinian descent and had expected the new pope to come from where so many others had: Italy.

“I was ready to run outside with my flag,” he said. “I can only imagine that Argentinians are celebrating.”

HISTORIC FRONT PAGES: News of a new pope

At a Spanish-language Mass at St. Emydius in Lynwood, parishioners applauded when the new pope emerged. But the clapping got much louder when they learned their new spiritual leader hailed from Argentina.

“It’s possible that he will understand other Latinos better,” Maria Ramirez, 65, said afterward in Spanish. “As the pope, he is the pope to the whole world, but I’m very pleased that he’s from Latin America.”

Another churchgoer, Teresa Gonzalez, 62, said she hoped the new pope would mark a new chapter for the church after “the abuse that’s happened.”

“Much of the faith of Catholic people is going down,” Gonzalez said.

New pope: Francis opens new era for Latin American Catholics

Catholic experts said the selection of Francis was a  brilliant choice that recognized the locus of the global church has shifted from Europe to the Southern Hemisphere.

The selection of Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina to lead the Roman Catholic Church ushered in an era of firsts.

He is the first pope from the Americas. And he is the first pope who shares the mother tongue of Latin Americans — Pope John Paul II spoke fluent Spanish, but with the accent of someone who was not a native speaker, and Pope Benedict XVI spoke it more haltingly. 

FULL COVERAGE: Election of a pope

 

Two-thirds of Catholics live in the south and their concerns are markedly different than those elsewhere, said Father Thomas Rausch of Loyola Marymount University.

“It’s very significant that they’ve elected a Latin American, someone outside Europe, who can represent the part of the church that is so different from the West,” Rausch said. “There will certainly be great rejoicing in Latin America. Everyone is hoping he has the vision to move the church in a new direction.”

While Catholics in the United States might focus on gay rights, contraception and women priests, Latin Americans are concerned about such issues as poverty,  global capitalism, the loss of faith and the rise of Pentecostalism, Rausch said. He added that it was significant the new pope is not simply a Vatican bureaucrat or scholar but a man who has served in Buenos Aires and  in places like Cordoba, one of the poorest cities in Argentina. He also participated in episcopal conferences held by Latin American bishops, who asserted that the church should focus on the poor, said Father Allan Figueroa Deck, a Latin American specialist at Loyola Marymount University.

Rausch added that the pope’s commitment to the needy was also signaled by his choice of the name Francis, after St. Francis of Assisi – known as  “the Poverello,” or “little poor man.”

Deck added that  Pope Francis would serve as a bridge between Europe and Latin America, just as his native country of Argentina has.

“It’s a very important development and it’s been a long time coming,” Deck said. “The seeds of Christianity that was planted 500 years ago in the Americas are finally manifesting themselves in the leadership of the church at the highest level.”

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Photo: Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez celebrates Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels after the selection of an Argentine cardinal to become the Roman Catholic Church's pope. Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina is now Pope Francis. Credit: Kevork Djanszian / Getty Images

New pope: Latinos overjoyed with selection of Argentine

When the Rev. Marco Ortiz saw the name of the new pope flash across the TV, he whispered to himself: "Wow."

The selection of Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina to lead the Roman Catholic Church, Ortiz realized, ushered in an era of firsts.

He is the first pope from the Americas. And he is the first pope who shares the mother tongue of Latin Americans — Pope John Paul II spoke fluent Spanish, but with the accent of someone who was not a native speaker, and Benedict spoke it more haltingly.

FULL COVERAGE: Election of a pope

"This is history," said Ortiz, who is Mexican and whose congregants at Divine Saviour Catholic Church in Cypress Park mostly speak Spanish. "I think the impact will be enormous, enormous."

Across Southern California on Wednesday, many Catholics rejoiced that the background of the church’s new leader resembled theirs more closely than those of his European predecessors.

The selection of Bergoglio marked a moment of jubilation at an otherwise precarious time for America’s largest archdiocese, which has been roiled by new allegations that church leaders plotted to hide child abuse by priests from police.

PHOTOS: A new pope is chosen

About 70% of the Catholic population in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles is Latino, and it’s not uncommon in Spanish-speaking neighborhoods to see signs proclaiming “Este hogar es catolico” or “This home is Catholic.”

“I never thought this would happen,” said Eduardo Ahamad, 56, who runs the Rincon Argentino grocery store in Glendale. He is of Mexican and Argentinian descent and had expected the new pope to come from where so many others had: Italy.

“I was ready to run outside with my flag,” he said. “I can only imagine that Argentinians are celebrating.”

INTERACTIVE: Choosing a new pope

At a Spanish-language Mass at St. Emydius in Lynwood, parishioners applauded when the new pope emerged. But the clapping got much louder when they learned their new spiritual leader hailed from Argentina.

“It’s possible that he will understand other Latinos better,” Maria Ramirez, 65, said afterward in Spanish. “As the pope, he is the pope to the whole world, but I’m very pleased that he’s from Latin America.”

Another churchgoer, Teresa Gonzalez, 62, said she hoped the new pope would mark a new chapter for the church after “the abuse that’s happened.”

“Much of the faith of Catholic people is going down,” Gonzalez said.

Latin America has the largest share of the world's 1.2-billion Catholics, which some analysts said was likely a key factor in the selection of Bergoglio, who chose the papal name Francis.

Father Allan Figueroa Deck, a Latin American specialist at Loyola Marymount University, said Francis is poised serve as a bridge between Europe and Latin America, just as his native country of Argentina has.

“It’s a very important development and it’s been a long time coming,” Deck said. “The seeds of Christianity that was planted 500 years ago in the Americas are finally manifesting themselves in the leadership of the church at the highest level.”

Francis, 76, has been applauded for modernizing an Argentine church that had been among the most conservative in Latin America. But he is no liberal theologian, denouncing gay marriage and adoptions by gay couples.

He is also known for his outreach to the poor and his austerity — he spurned the ornate church mansion in Buenos Aires for a spartan downtown room where he cooks his own meals. He also rides the bus. Those qualities resonated with Carlos Madrid, 60, who had been hoping for a pontiff from Africa.

“He's lived among poverty, close to the poor,” Madrid said as he cut a man’s hair in his Huntington Park barbershop. “He knows the needs we have in this continent. The rich don't understand the life of the poor as well.”

Around noon in Los Angeles, white smoke billowed out of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, signifying the selection of the new pontiff. At the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels downtown, bells clanged and workers hurried to adorn the main entrance with yellow and white bunting. Archbishop Jose Gomez held a special Mass at 12:10.

“So my brothers and sisters, habemus papam,” he said.

On a sidewalk in Huntington Park, Sister Guadalupe Pablo, 32, saw the pope’s origins and choice of name as reasons to rejoice. The nun, who’s visiting from Mexico, was clad in brown vestments and selling rosaries and prayer cards for her order.

“We've never had a pope from Latin America, and beside that, our founder was St. Francisco de Assissi,” Pablo said, her pride evident. “Our new Holy Father is Pope Francisco I. We've never had a pope named Francisco.”

St. Francis of Assissi identified so strongly with the poor that he was known as “the Poverello,” or little poor man. “To our founder, all were his brothers,” Pablo said. “That the pope chose to identify with him means something beautiful."

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Photo: Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez celebrates Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels after the selection of an Argentine cardinal to become the Roman Catholic Church's pope. Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina is now Pope Francis. Credit: Kevork Djanszian / Getty Images

Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez celebrates the midday Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in recognition of the historic selection of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina as pope on March 13, 2013 in LosAngeles, California. Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected as the 266th pontiff, the first non-European leader of the church in more than 1,000 years, will lead the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)