As reported in the Tribune:
(Reuters) - Two Catholic Church officials in California plotted to conceal child molestation by priests from law enforcement as late as 1987, the Los Angeles Times reported on Monday, citing newly released internal Church records.
The records show that Los Angeles Archbishop Roger Mahony, who is now retired, and his top adviser on child sex abuse cases, Monsignor Thomas Curry, worked with other Church officials in 1987 to send priests accused of abuse out of state to avoid prosecution, the newspaper said.
Mahony and Curry also tried to keep pedophile priests from confessing to therapists who would be obligated to report the crimes, the newspaper said, citing the records, which were released on Los Angeles Times' website.
Curry even suggested in 1987 they send a pedophile priest to "a lawyer who is also a psychiatrist" to put the priest's "reports under the protection of privilege," the Times reported.
A therapist couldn't agree to such an arrangement. It would represent a prohibited dual relationship. Someone with both licenses could engage as attorney or therapist, but not both with the same client.
How long has this abomination been going on now? 10 years, 20? more? We should either "just get used to it" or fashion a decisive punishment for the Catholic Church. Talking about abominations never resolves anything because they remain. For years. But there is a problem: how do we punish one of the most economically powerful, "non-profit" organizations on the planet? An organization which professes a goal of bringing its adherents closer to God?
The problem is complex. If we are not prepared to solve it, perhaps we should just get used to it. I am not Catholic, nor do I have children. I could say this not my problem. But, I wrote this comment in defense of children. So, I'm in, for the long haul...
Posted by: Heisenberg's Eyes | Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 08:41 PM