The Priests Play - and the People Pay!
The Los Angeles Archdiocese is stuck with $720 million in sex abuse settlements, so Cardinal Roger Mahony met earlier this year with clergy and lay leaders from various parishes in an effort to figure out how they can help bail him out. This was reported in the May 26 Los Angeles Times article, “ LA Parishes Pitch in to Pay After Clergy Abuse.”
Crafty guy that he is (how do you think he became a cardinal!), “Mahony said he had decided against trying to raise funds directly from the Los Angeles area’s estimated 5 million Roman Catholics, saying he feared such a move might create ill will among parishioners and lead to resentment of the abuse victims.”
Therefore it’s been left up to the priest and lay leaders of each individual church as how to much money they would give to help the archdiocese. Some churches have paid a lot, some a little, and others have still “not yet decided.”
A few comments:
1. Through this whole sex abuse scandal, the tendency of the Roman clergy to circle the wagons and protect itself at the expense of the laity has been so evident! However, when it comes to paying off the sex abuse victims – all of a sudden it’s “WE.” As one priest pontificated, “It’s important that we the church (italics mine) take care of this.” This is how Catholicism works – the priests abuse children, and the laity gets to pay the bills!
2. This is a great opportunity for some priests to kiss up to Mahony by soaking their parishes! One such priest had his parish provide almost $1.5 million, leaving only $1,000 in the church bank account. My experience as a Catholic showed me that the smart priests are always angling to look good before their bishops.
Please pray daily for Catholic conversions, and that our Lord continue to expose the wicked nature of the Roman Church and its priesthood.
Crafty guy that he is (how do you think he became a cardinal!), “Mahony said he had decided against trying to raise funds directly from the Los Angeles area’s estimated 5 million Roman Catholics, saying he feared such a move might create ill will among parishioners and lead to resentment of the abuse victims.”
Therefore it’s been left up to the priest and lay leaders of each individual church as how to much money they would give to help the archdiocese. Some churches have paid a lot, some a little, and others have still “not yet decided.”
A few comments:
1. Through this whole sex abuse scandal, the tendency of the Roman clergy to circle the wagons and protect itself at the expense of the laity has been so evident! However, when it comes to paying off the sex abuse victims – all of a sudden it’s “WE.” As one priest pontificated, “It’s important that we the church (italics mine) take care of this.” This is how Catholicism works – the priests abuse children, and the laity gets to pay the bills!
2. This is a great opportunity for some priests to kiss up to Mahony by soaking their parishes! One such priest had his parish provide almost $1.5 million, leaving only $1,000 in the church bank account. My experience as a Catholic showed me that the smart priests are always angling to look good before their bishops.
Please pray daily for Catholic conversions, and that our Lord continue to expose the wicked nature of the Roman Church and its priesthood.
posted by Robt. B. at 4:09 PM
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