Church Official Concealed Abuse Allegations, Prosecutor Said

By Peter Loftus
Wall Street Journal
March 26, 2012

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303816504577305951425012194.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

A former high-ranking Roman Catholic Church official placed the church's reputation above children's safety by concealing allegations that priests sexually abused minors, said a Philadelphia prosecutor at the start of a landmark criminal trial Monday.

"He paid lip service to children's protection," Assistant District Attorney Jacqueline Coelho said in an opening statement of a trial that could last for several months. "His concerted effort was to protect the church from scandal."

Msgr. William Lynn is the highest-ranking member of the U.S. Catholic ...