Philly Judge Issues Rulings This Morning; SNAP Responds

By David Clohessy
SNAP
January 30, 2012

http://www.snapnetwork.org/philly_judge_issues_rulings_this_morning_snap_responds

This morning, a Philadelphia judge ruled again that retired Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua will testify in the upcoming clergy sex abuse and cover up trial involving Msgr. Lynn.

We are grateful this judge is standing by her conviction that Bevilacqua will have to testify. For far too long, too many Catholic officials have feigned illnesses and memory lapses’ to avoid facing tough questions, in open court, under oath, about their role in concealing clergy sex crimes.

We hope the judge will let prosecutors introduce evidence about the widespread and on-going cover up of pedophile priests in Philadelphia. We believe Lynn is guilty as charged. But we also believe it’s simplistic and wrong to claim he’s somehow a “rogue priest” acting alone. And it’s wrong to prevent jurors from hearing ‘the big picture’ of wrongdoing by top archdiocesan staffers.