Dear Archbishop: Please Clarify
Dear Archbishop Gomez: Kudos for doing something. In response to the release of the personnel files on clergy sexual abusers in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, you actually did something about Cardinal Roger Mahoney and Bishop Thomas Curry who oversaw the years of silence, cover-up and non-response to the reports of sexual abuse of children by priests, though of course I wish you had done it earlier.
Dear Archbishop Gomez:
Kudos for doing something. In response to the release of the personnel files on clergy sexual abusers in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, you actually did something about Cardinal Roger Mahony and Bishop Thomas Curry who oversaw the years of silence, cover-up and non-response to the reports of sexual abuse of children by priests, though of course I wish you had done it earlier.
In your letter of January 31, you said: “My predecessor, retired Cardinal Roger Mahony, has expressed his sorrow for his failure to fully protect young people entrusted to his care. Effective immediately, I have informed Cardinal Mahony that he will no longer have any administrative or public duties. Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Curry has also publicly apologized for his decisions while serving as Vicar for Clergy. I have accepted his request to be relieved of his responsibility as the Regional Bishop of Santa Barbara.”
You are the first bishop to sanction in any way a fellow bishop for his ignorance and incompetence, the first to suggest any consequences for any bishop who knew and did nothing, or worse, protected clergy abusers from criminal charges.
But wait: The next day, you said this: “Questions from the faithful and some members of the news media indicate that it would be helpful for me to clarify the status of Cardinal Roger Mahony and Bishop Thomas Curry. Cardinal Mahony, as Archbishop Emeritus, and Bishop Curry, as Auxiliary Bishop, remain bishops in good standing in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, with full rights to celebrate the Holy Sacraments of the Church and to minister to the faithful without restriction.”
So with all due respect, Archbishop Gomez, now I am confused. Did you do something and then someone advised you to back off? Or did you not really do anything in response to Cardinal Mahony? I don’t get how relieving Cardinal Mahony of his public role in the Sacrament of Confirmation squares with ministering “without restriction.”
Please clarify for this confused Protestant.
Your sister in Christ,
Rev. Dr. Marie M. Fortune
FaithTrust Institute
www.faithtrustinstitute.org
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my confusion, too
When I was on leave from call for being an outed partnered lesbian, I was allowed to act as a Pastor in supply situations. However, I was NOT under any discipline or sanctions.
To be a bit snide: Once a Bp, always a Bp. Once a pedophile, always a pedophile. (Not that all are, but gee whiz.)
Thank for the good work you do. In Christ's love, Pr Dawn