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Thursday, February 20, 2014

Another cardinal hides under Pope Francis’ robes

Here we go again: the church pays off victims of clergy sexual abuse with our money, the Cardinal protects the priest and keeps evidence from the police. The Cardinal goes free.
The Los Angeles Roman Catholic archdiocese agreed to pay $720 million to clergy abuse victims.  Internal files were released that showed Cardinal Roger Mahony shielded priests and ordered an underling to withhold evidence from police, but Mahony and other archdiocese leaders are unlikely to face criminal charges.  The Cardinal exchanged money for the key to a jail cell.  
For Cardinal Mahony and other church hierarachy their priorities were to protect priests, keep parishioners in the dark and defend the church's image. Suffering children were not even on their radar.
What did the priest do?  Nicolas Aguilar Rivera sexually abused 25 altar boys, a young priest in training and100 additional children in Mexico both before and after he “served” in Los Angeles. He was defrocked in 2009 after victims’ attorneys in Los Angeles filed the first of their lawsuits.
Where is the defrocked pedophile now?  He fled to his native Mexico in January 1988 after Mahony's top aide, Monsignor Thomas Curry, tipped him off about complaints from parents and warned that the church would call police. The complaints came in on a Friday, and Curry met with the priest Saturday morning. Police weren't notified until Monday. By then, Aguilar Rivera was gone.
Aguilar Rivera remains a fugitive and is believed to be somewhere in Mexico. U.S. authorities have an arrest warrant pending and could arrest him if he returns to American soil.  What about the Mexican children? God help them.
As is usual for all pedophile enabler clergy, Cardinal Mahony was rewarded for his efforts. After giving his trial deposition last year, he went to Rome and helped elect the new pope. A month ago, he celebrated Mass with Pope Francis at the Vatican before having a private meeting with him. What does this say about the catholic church, the pope and the college of cardinals who elect the pope – that pedophile priests are more important than innocent children.
 
 
 

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