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LOS ANGELES ARCHDIOCESE ATTEMPTS TO
CONCEAL DOCUMENTS
By A J Nseir
The Los Angeles Archdiocese is refusing to reveal church documents about a priest accused of sexual abuse, saying they have a constitutional right to withhold the papers.
Cardinal Roger M. Mahony has come under fire defending that a violation of the confidentiality between a priest and bishop would breach the church’s First Amendment rights. This is the point the archdiocese’s lawyers argued at a Los Angeles County Superior Court hearing April 1.
Mahony was originally seen as someone who would give aid to those abused sexually by members of the clergy. He stated he would divulge any information of the scandals that flooded the country’s largest archdiocese, over five million Catholics. Since the court hearing, victims, their families and their lawyers have accused Mahony of being a “backbiter” and a “traitor,” according to a recent New York Times article.
Some feel that by protecting the priests and the church, the archdiocese is further victimizing the sexually abused.
Pastor James Smith said full disclosure is the church’s only option.
“I do feel there should be full disclosure,” Smith said. “I believe that is the only way that the victims will be able to be healed and receive closure. “
Mary Grant is the Southwest regional director for the victims group, Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests.Grant said in a recent New York Times article the archdiocese is forcing the victims to “live longer and longer with the pain of having their abuse hidden and covered up.”
“Cardinal Mahony has not kept his promise to protect the children,” Grant said in The New York Times. “Instead he has done everything possible to protect child molesters, who are priests.”
Lawyers of the Archdiocese claim they withheld the documents because the contents have the potential to embarrass those involved. The prosecution planned to use the documents to illustrate the church’s attempts to cover up sexual abuse, also their inability to control their priests.
Smith however, said that it is the Catholic Church’s responsibility to tell the truth.“For a matter of trust for the Catholic Church, and in fact all churches, people are looking for truth,” Smith said. “Without full truth and disclosure it hard for there to be complete forgiveness and healing.”