Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua: Competent

Philadelphia Weekly
January 30, 2012

http://blogs.philadelphiaweekly.com/phillynow/2012/01/30/cardinal-anthony-bevilacqua-competent/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cardinal-anthony-bevilacqua-competent

A Philadelphia judge has ruled—again—that retired Roman Catholic Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua is competent to stand trial in a Philadelphia clergy rape/torture case, of which much information, including a grand jury report, was released last winter.

Bevilacqua will likely serve as a witness in the trial of his longtime aide Monsignor William Lynn, 88, who awaits trial not on abusing children, but on conspiring to keep abusive pedophiles in the ministry, and therefore endangering those children. Lynn’s defense is set to argue that Lynn took orders from Bevilacqua. Lynn’s lawyer has previously stated that Bevilacqua threw him “under the bus.” Prosecutors are calling the entire archdiocese an “unindicted co-conspirator” in the case.

Amongst the allegations in the grand jury report are that priest Charles Engelhardt “directed [alleged victim] ‘Billy’ to take off his clothes, and to put his penis in the priest’s mouth. Then the priest reversed positions, until he ejaculated on the boy. After that, Billy was in effect passed around to Engelhardt’s colleagues.”