SAN FRANCISCO (CA)
KCBS
Publication date: 2005-05-11
(KCBS) The head of San Francisco's Roman Catholic Archdiocese could soon be given a promotion, which would call him to Rome. But that choice does not sit well with some clergy sex abuse survivors.
KCBS reporter Holly Quan says Archbishop William Levada worked with Pope Benedict XVI in the 1980s, and he was the first to receive a private audience with the pope after he was ordained.
Time Magazine now reports that Levada is the one expected to be tapped to take over the Pope's old job: Head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican watchdog.
Dan McNevin with the Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests (SNAP) said Archbishop Levada continues to ignore their pleas to "out" accused priests.
"I am concerned if this man is elevated to a position where he is in charge of worldwide doctrine and worldwide enforcement of sex abuse that nothing will really change and we'll be heading in a direction where secrecy instead of protection will be prioritized," McNevin said.