The Tidings
Third in a series.
Editor's note: In 2002, the California Legislature passed legislation written by personal injury attorneys interested in suing the Catholic Church. The legislation, known as Senate Bill 1779, allowed for the revival of claims of sexual abuse that previously had been barred by a statute of limitations. The result was an avalanche of lawsuits filed against the Church, the majority of which were for claims of abuse stretching back 30 to 70 years.
The media reminds us that there are more than 550 claims pending against the Archdiocese alleging sexual abuse of minors by clergy. What the media does not clarify is that Senate Bill 1779 singled out the Catholic Church as a target for these claims and other claims dating all the way back to the early 1930s.
That any priest, teacher or any other adult would abuse his or her trust by sexually exploiting a child is as heinous to the Catholic Church as it is to the public at large. Cardinal Mahony has expressed his personal sadness regarding past allegations of abuse by clergy, and has instituted many steps to create safe environments for all so that the future will not resemble the past.