PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Philadelphia Inquirer
By David O'Reilly and Jim Remsen
Inquirer Staff Writers
Three hundred priests of the Philadelphia Archdiocese met yesterday with Cardinal Justin Rigali, a 90-minute conclave at which some challenged his defense of the previous archbishops named in a grand jury report on clergy sex abuse.
Priests attending the meeting at the chapel of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood said afterward that Rigali told them that "mistakes were made" by the archdiocese in its handling of abusers and victims.
But, "nobody's perfect... . No one is without sin," Rigali reportedly added. His remarks, which echoed those he has made since the report was issued one week ago, reportedly irked some of the priests, who told him so.
One pastor took to the microphone to say he was "greatly disappointed in the archdiocese's weak and deplorable" defense of Cardinals John Krol and Anthony J. Bevilacqua.
The criticism was greeted with scattered applause, sources said.