BishopAccountability.org
	Huge Abuse Settlement Another Blow to Church News Tribune July 22, 2007 http://www.thenewstribune.com/opinion/story/115676.html Los Angeles — The $660 million settlement for 508 victims of sexual abuse by priests in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles was stunning because of its scope. The payout – the victims each will receive $1.3 million – is five times larger than any previous deal struck by a diocese in the 5-year-old scandal that has plagued the church in America for five years. But the settlement is hardly absolution for the church or for Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahoney, accused of transferring known molesters from parish to parish like so many other American Catholic church authorities have done. The sheer size of the settlement is a striking admission of culpability. Although much of it will be paid by insurance companies and religious orders, the archdiocese itself will feel a heavy financial impact – on the order of $250 million – from the settlement. But that impact pales next to the suffering of so many victims who were abused by men in positions of great trust and authority – and who were seldom, if ever, held truly accountable for their crimes. Mahoney was notable for the extent to which he resisted lawsuits that sought to force the archdiocese to account for hundreds accusations of abuse by priests under his supervision. He carried to the U.S. Supreme Court an unsuccessful legal battle to avoid being forced to turn over internal church documents involving accused priests. For four years, Mahoney's posture was defensive rather than apologetic, stonewalling rather than willing to atone. Mahoney apologized in front of cameras last week, but it was meager satisfaction for angry and outraged victims who hold him responsible. By settling, Mahoney avoided having to testify in a series of trials that was set to begin last Monday. But his trial isn't over. Part of the settlement leaves it up to a retired judge to decide which church documents must be disclosed. Some documents, such as psychiatric records, are clearly confidential. But working personnel records that may show what church authorities did and did not know about incidents of priestly abuse should be fair game for disclosure. Criminal cases may yet result. Cardinal Mahoney managed to stay out of court. But a verdict of sorts has been rendered. Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley put it well: The settlement, he said, "highlights the institutional moral failure of the archdiocese to supervise predatory priests who operated for years under its jurisdiction." No amount of money or apologies can erase that stain.
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