PHILADELPHIA (PA)
NEPA News
The Associated Press October 06, 2005
Two weeks after calling a grand jury's report "unjustifiably critical" of his predecessors, Cardinal Justin Rigali issued a pastoral letter Thursday saying archdiocese officials had mishandled sex abuse cases.
The archbishop of Philadelphia noted that "many Catholics are offended by the actions taken or not taken by those in authority. And now, as an archdiocese we are all experiencing great pain."
The statement to Catholics was written from Rome, where Rigali is attending a monthlong synod of bishops.
Rigali's initial response to the grand jury's Sept. 20 report on sex abuse by priests said it was too critical of Cardinal Anthony J. Bevilacqua, Cardinal John Krol and church administrators. Bevilacqua, who is now retired, was Rigali's immediate predecessor as archbishop; Krol, who has since died, was the archbishop before Bevilacqua.
Rigali's first response drew strong criticism; some pastors refused to read his statement at Masses.