Papal Conclave Mired in Scandals from Past

By Lizzy Davies
Irish Independent
February 24, 2013

http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/papal-conclave-mired-in-scandals-from-past-29090704.html


When Pope Benedict XVI tendered the first papal resignation in almost 600 years, the more hopeful of his flock said it would help the Roman Catholic Church make a break with its recent past and usher in a new era of missionary vibrancy untainted by intrigue and scandal.

The headlines of the past fortnight, however, have shown quite how unlikely that is. Not only has anger built over the role of several compromised cardinals in the choosing of a papal successor, but increasingly lurid claims have emerged about why Benedict chose to stand down in the first place.

A major new controversy, therefore, is the last thing that the Vatican needs. Rather than heralding a bold new dawn, the most unexpected and unpredictable conclave in centuries looks increasingly likely to be overshadowed – just as much of Benedict's papacy was – by scandal.

The clerical sex abuse scandals that dominated Benedict's eight years as pope have left several prelates due to take part in conclave facing questions over how they handled the affairs.

They include Cardinal Justin Rigali, the former archbishop of Philadelphia, who retired in 2011 five months after the archdiocese was stunned by an abuse scandal; and Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, who last week was questioned over the abuse of children by priests in his former archdiocese of Milwaukee.

Lawyers are interested in knowing when Cardinal Dolan learned of the allegations and when he made them public.

Meanwhile, Cardinal Sean Brady, the primate of All Ireland, has come under pressure not to attend conclave next month.

The prelate has faced calls to resign over his failure in the Seventies to report the activities of a serial abuser, Father Brendan Smith, and his apologies have done little to quell the anger. Cardinal Brady has confirmed he will take part in conclave as planned. Amid all these names, there is one in particular that has attracted most anger: the American Cardinal Roger Mahony, whose transgressions have emerged more recently and caused outrage among Catholics in Los Angeles, where he is archbishop emeritus.

Last month, a court ordered the release of files relating to over 120 priests accused of child sex abuse which showed that Mahony, along with other officials, had protected the clerics.