San Diego Bishop Robert McElroy was elevated to cardinal last weekend, a significant snub to Jose Gomez, the archbishop of Los Angeles, a much larger see than San Diego whose head typically receives a red hat. As if Gomez hadn’t been humiliated enough, McElroy chose Cardinal Roger Mahony, the disgraced former archbishop of Los Angeles, as one of the concelebrants at his first mass as cardinal. During the previous pontificate, Gomez had tried to sideline Mahony for his monstrous role in protecting molesting priests. Gomez said that Mahony would “no longer have any administrative or public duties.” But Mahony, whose chutzpah equals that of the late Rembert Weakland, ignored this directive and waited for the arrival of Pope Francis.
That McElroy thought nothing of including Mahony at his first mass as cardinal speaks to the in-your-face liberal culture at the top of the Church. McElroy has been criticized for his own lax handling of abuse cases and his stonewalling of the psychotherapist Richard Sipe, a whistleblower against the rapist Theodore McCarrick. But McElroy still doesn’t feel any need to distance himself from Mahony. McElroy knows that he will pay no price for such associations under this pontificate. If anything, such dubious associations propelled his rise in the Church.
Anticipating his rehabilitation under Pope Francis, Mahony burbled at the beginning of his pontificate, “So long, Papal ermine and fancy lace! Welcome, simple cassock, and hopefully, ordinary black shoes! St. Francis must be overjoyed! Mass with Pope Francis: moving from HIGH Church to LOW and humble Church! What a blessing that we are encountering Jesus without trappings!”
To anyone familiar with Mahony’s ostentatious and prodigal history, this tweet was inadvertently hilarious. Through his derelictions of duty as archbishop, Mahony cost the Church hundreds of millions of dollars in abuse settlements, wasted tens of millions of dollars on a hideous new cathedral, and hobnobbed with the decadent Los Angeles elite. At the behest of Xavier Becerra (now President Biden’s secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services), among other pols, Mahony once wrote a letter asking Bill Clinton to pardon the drug dealer Carlos Vignali. It came out later that Mahony had never even met Vignali and simply wrote the letter as a favor to his corrupt political cronies.
….Frank Keating, the former Republican governor of Oklahoma who served on a church-appointed abuse panel, likened the behavior of Mahony and other scheming bishops to “La Cosa Nostra.” After Mahony built his new cathedral, he intended to name as its associate pastor a known pedophile until bad press and prosecutors forced him to scotch the plan. Among the most flabbergasting revelations of Mahony’s misconduct during the abuse scandal is that he plotted with one of his auxiliary bishops to send molesting priests to therapists who doubled as lawyers so that they wouldn’t fall under any reporting requirement.
The mountainous evidence against Mahony led in 2007 to a $660 million settlement with victims, one of the largest settlements in Church history. That’s why Gomez moved to put Mahony out to pasture. But the bashful Gomez was no match for Mahony, especially after the election of Pope Francis. Mahony quickly leveraged his friendship with ascendant liberals under Pope Francis, such as Robert McElroy, to regain a voice in the Church. In 2021, Vatican News interviewed Mahony on the subject of pro-abortion Catholic politicians. Mahony defended them, saying, “First of all, we are a democratic republic. Our country’s path is one of separation of church and state. And so, it’s a very difficult position for politicians, Catholics, who are pressured by some in the Church to make all of the decisions based on Catholic Church doctrine.”
Out of gratitude for such fatuous statements, the media is overlooking Mahony’s scandalous rehabilitation under Pope Francis. Were Mahony even slightly conservative, the media would question his reemergence. That Mahony is enjoying a second act while Gomez disappears into the shadows reveals much about the Church’s direction. The most powerful prelates in America, from McElroy to Cardinal Blase Cupich in Chicago to Cardinal Joseph Tobin in Newark, are assisting Mahony in this con job, which exposes their “reform agenda” as rotten and hollow.
Further proof that the US hierarchy is comprised of unrepentant coverup artist, embezzlers and gay predators.
Folks, a problem with articles like George Neumayr’s and with comments like “bohemond’s” is that they’re oblivious to what the Church fundamentally is: in other words, they’re clueless. They only think of the Church in terms of politics, of intrigue, of gossip, of drama, scandal. The Church is God’s Family, fundamentally and essentially. Forgiveness and graciousness? They’re oblivious to those. It’s all about intrigue and gossipy tales for them. So what if the elderly grandfather who had a past is invited (perhaps for the last time as he’s getting on in years) to a family gathering hosted by a gracious relative? And so what if the grandfather starts speaking about “humility” at the family gathering? It’s totally acceptable, as he’s probably done some soul searching in the intervening years, and is probably repentant. These judgmental and distasteful comments like Newmayr’s (and he’s well-known for writing scornfully) and like “bohemond’s” show a lack of understanding about what the Church is, as a spiritual family where forgiveness is found.
When has Mahony ever asked for forgiveness or apologized for what he did and what he cost the faithful of Los Angeles?
… unless, of course, that “elderly grandfather” had a past that included abusing children. I doubt he’d be welcome at the dinner table. There is one person on this thread that is the most judgmental and distasteful commenter, and it is not Bohemond. Take a good look at yourself.
So people, “Silent Observer’s” comment which implies that Mahoney abused children is a lie, is defamatory, and is libel. Such falsehoods are disgusting, people. These people would actually sink to whatever lows they can get into, even defamation, out of hatred. Disgraceful. And talk about being “judgmental.”
Just like a prig, you distract from the issue at hand. It is a fact that Mahony knowingly reassigned and covered up for pedophile and ephebophile priests who had sexually abused minors. That Mahony himself didn’t do anything untoward with children himself doesn’t diminish his moral culpability for perpetuating and enabling and covering up the sexual abuse of minors by priests under his management. It’s a different crime and moral offense and sin, but still revolting and despicable. Address the issue.
jon … your ridiculous analogy inspired me to offer my own real-case scenario. Pot/Kettle.
Reply to fact– Last year, in April of 2021, Mahony himself was charged with sexual abuse of a teenage boy. But the lawsuit was later withdrawn. Not sure of the details. Also, unfortunately– Cardinals are actually only subject to the Pope, for discipline, by Canon Law. That is why Mahony did not pay any attention to Abp. Gomez.
For the record people, my analogy is spot on. It is “ridiculous” for those who cannot fathom the Church as essentially a spiritual family, the Family of God. In their comments folks like “Silent Observer” and “bohemond” treat the Church as if it were merely another political entity, the source of gossip, scandal, intrigue. Sad really.
Blah, Blah, Blah Blah….there goes the great defender of the corrupt hierarchy, Mahony never admitted to what he did never asked forgiveness. Rembert Weakland was so prideful that he wrote book attacking the Church’s moral teachings on sexuality and literally blamed the that Church for his own sexual perversions. These are the kind of men who have decimated the Church in all area, yet the great defender of the corrupt hierarchy thinks we should forgive men that do not admit guilt or seek repentance. Both of these corrupt fools should have disappeared into monastery in Alberta Canada for the rest of their lives
So people, “bohemond” disputes that “we should forgive men that do not admit guilt or seek repentance.” Good Catholics presume that this Cardinal has been to the sacrament of confession in the intervening years and has sought forgiveness. And that is enough for Almighty God. You see people, folks like “bohemond” want no less than a public humiliation, a public scorching at the pillar. They’re not getting that, which is why they’re “scandalized.”
That’s right jon, forgiveness cannot be given to those who not want it, because they never asked
“Yawn”
So people, “bohemond” writes that I think “we should forgive men that do not admit guilt or seek repentance.” Good Catholic presume that the Cardinal in the intervening years has been to the sacrament of reconciliation and has been repentant. Forgiveness and mercy are possible even for the likes of Mahoney in God’s Family, people. However, predictably folks like “bohehond” will not settle for anything less than a public humiliation, a public scourging at the pillar. Pitiful, really.
Jon: so very well stated! Thank you’
Neither you nor jon has any comprehension of the article, nor the extremely serious evils infesting the Catholic Church, today. Go see the documentary, “Deliver Us From Evil.” That’s just for starters. There are some extremely evil men– criminals!– in high clerical positions of power, in the Catholic Church, today. They are horrific impsters, Satan’s devils in clerical garb. They have destroyed children’s lives. And they have absolutely no moral conscience. God shall someday avenge the horrific, filthy Satanic evils done to His poor, innocent little ones– in the name of religion!– covered up and lied about, by evil men like Mahony and McElroy! McElroy refused to see psychotherapist Richard Sipe, who tried numerous times, to warn McElroy of the evils of Theodore McCarrick. A hot seat in Hell for all!
Regardless of this article– Mahony should long ago have been prosecuted and sent to jail for his evil cover-ups of criminal clergy sex predators. And he should have long ago been defrocked and kicked out of the Catholic Church.
God is surely not pleased with either McElroy’s Red Hat, nor the evil concelebrated Mass with Mahony. A Mass of two Satanic imposters. Neither is a champion of Christ and of Catholic doctrine. Both are lying, deceitful, slithering Satanic snakes. And no– the Catholic Church does not have a “liberal culture” at the top– it honestly has a Satanic Culture of Death at the top. In His Divine Justice– God will punish .hem all. He will someday take a gigantic whip– and drive them all out of His Holy Temple. They will all pay for their sins.
So people, the comments above are so contrary to the manner and spirit of Our Lord Jesus Christ Who scandalized the people of His time for His treatment of notorious and public sinners, so much so that the Pharisees and scribes wanted to trap and kill Him. Recall how He dealt with Zacchaeus; recall how he treated the woman with demons expelled from her who then lavished Him with costly perfumed oil, thereby annoying people like Judas Iscariot. And there are many more hated sinners to whom Our Lord showed graciousness and mercy upon their repentance. People were drawn to Jesus of Nazareth because, among other things, of what He did for these hated people, just as people seem to be drawn to the likes of Pope Francis, and just as McElroy is “scandalizing” the self-righteous out there. People, the point is, be more like Jesus Christ, Pope Francis, and McElroy. In God’s Family, there is hope for people like Mahoney. There is hope for you.
Don’t play games with God. Divine Justice is Truthful and exact. God hears the cries of the murdered and raped children, whose lives have been totally destroyed. For the evil, violent, blackened-heart Sinner, who can no longer hear the Voice of God– and loves and prefers their own evil ways– they have now sold their souls to Satan, their new god. There is only hope for them, with sincere repentance of sin, and doing strict penances, and reforming their life completely, in Jesus Christ. Otherwise… the Sinner risks eternal punishment in Hell. God is Divine Justice.
It is really hard to get into Heaven. Does Cardinal Mahoney need our prayers? Yes. And you need his.
No, I do not need Mahony’s phony prayers. Neither do you. Mahony is not in union with God, he is not a true, honest Catholic– he is an imposter, a heretic. Mahony tried to teach a false dogma on the Eucharist– and Mother Angelica reprimanded him. As a result– Mahony did all he could, to destroy her.
It is always amusing when you write of graciousness , long time reader of your “posts” , graciousness is seldom found in them . That you support the mahoney in its hubris tells much about you, he is somehow spared of your ire that you don’t hesitate to use on others .
So, Anon99, remember that it was the self-righteous, holier-than-thou types who were “scandalized” by Our Lord’s graciousness to notorious sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors. And look at the commentators who are “scandalized” by the gracious action of Cardinal McElroy. You’re on the wrong side, people. Be on the side of the Church and of God. Get with it.
jon, you do not have an adult understanding of the extreme dangers of crime and sin. You have a big responsibility as an adult Catholic, to help protect our Church and society against all crime and sin. It is very, very serious.
Yes, jon is so gracious and charitable to his fellow man!
There really is nothing impressive nor admirable in going to a public electronic forum like this one, and anonymously and unjustly lambasting the leaders of major world religion, is there? In fact it’s cowardly and pathetic. Even more tragic when they’re unjustly and irrationally lambasting the leaders of their own purported religion. It just shows that they haven’t learned anything about how to live their own religion.
“Lambasting leaders of major world religions?” These are very dangerous religious hypocrites and have destroyed the lives of thousands of innocent children.
Those who are found guilty of willfully destroying lives are, or have been, prosecuted and have met justice in a court of law. It is not right for Catholics nor anyone else to disobey the pastoral decisions of the leaders of the Church, nor is it right to deride, ridicule, and disobey the members of the clergy who have done no wrong.
Rather the “very dangerous religious hypocrites that have destroyed the salvation of thousands of Catholics” are members of groups such as the beloved SSPX. They continue to peddle to unsuspecting Catholics sacraments that are not licit, sacraments that are not legal in the canons of the Church, thereby jeopardizing the salvation of these people.
It appears the “good old boys” network/lavender mafia is coming back into power. Pope Francis urged Cardinal McElroy and the other new cardinals to practice “unassuming power.” We’ll see how that works out. They often rule with iron fists not seen with the so-called “conservative” bishops. What signal are we sending to abuse victims, the Church and a watching world when those who’ve covered up sexual abuse continue to be promoted and elevated?
Lord, have mercy on us all!
I agree with “Lord have mercy on us all”.
Abuse victims know exactly what the Catholic Church’s response to them has been.
Everything comes out in the wash.
Cdl Mahony was not one of Mother Angelicas supporters. He did everything possible to take over EWTN. Of course today, sadly, the wolves have entered and watered down the truth.
to borrow a phrase from
the world of financial markets:
” a dead cat bounce”
To keep myself from fuming, I have to ponder the words of our faithful Cardinal Raymond Burke:
“If everyone leaves, the Church would otherwise fall into the hands of those who destroy the Catholic faith and its practice. It is important that the faithful do not leave the Church, because Christ promised us to always remain with us in the Church. We thus remain with Christ, even if we have to speak very openly with our own bishops when they propose something that does not correspond to the Catholic faith. We must return to the sacred tradition.”
I count myself as a member of the faithful Catholic resistance.
Cardinal McElroy is the enemy, Nobody with any decency would appear publicly with Mahony. In private, fine. McElroy would never agree to share the stage with Trump. But he’s just fine helping to rehabilitate a pedo enabler.
Unfortunately, the diabolic McElroy has been President of the Calif. Catholic Conference since 2019. The Calif. Catholic Conference lobbies our State political leaders, on important moral issues. McElroy and Executive Director, Kathleen Domingo, are a hopeless pair, to help the tragic plight of unborn children, on Prop. 1– on the ballot, asking voters to establish the right for Californians to kill their unborn children.
“Cardinal McElroy is the enemy,… ” If this is true in any sense, then anyone responsible for his rise to the red hat shares in that dubious honor. So keep going higher (Cupich comes to mind) and higher (I can’t say it).
And…what are you supposed to do with your enemy?
When the enemy is the Devil– stay far, far away! And keep your children safe! Never mess wiith Satan! Call the cops immediately!
Not the cops, Christ, the BVM, St. Michael the Archangel, St. Joseph “terror of demons ” , holy water ,blessed salt and other sacramentals will be efficacious as well.
You need both Call the cops if you see that a cleric (priest or bishop) has committed a crime, or has been an accessory to other clergy criminals in their crimes, such as pedophilia and other sex abuse crimes, cover-ups of clergy sex abuse crimes, child pornography, embezzlement of church funds, wrongful use of church funds to silence a victim of clergy sex abuse crimes, etc. etc.
In my comment of Sept. 11 at 8:50am, the first sentence should read: “You need both.” With a period (.) at the end!
Birds (cardinals)of a feather…
I’m curious if LA Times columnist, Gustavo Arellano comments on this. He previously wrote that Abp. Gomez’s words and actions justified his papal snub.
The college of cardinals notwithstanding, the USCCB has taken a decidedly right hand turn….a ‘nuanced pursuit of clarity’ cuts both ways….
asdf, can you provide any examples of a “decidedly right turn?”
They’ve long opposed the death penalty and supported migrants.
And, they’ve always opposed abortion.
Maybe you’re making a left turn which gives you the perception they’re turning right.
Quit giving him press.
I do not think it was a snub to Gomez at all.
One person’s elevation is not a demerit to someone else.
A gift to one is a gift to all.
All gifts are used to the service of the Christ.
May I say, without giving offense, I hope, that those who comment here do not seem to be very deeply faithful.
Perhaps more time to prayer and less to gossip?
Serious sins and crimes, destroying the lives of thousands of innocent young children, teens, young adults, and seminarians in our churches– is certainly not trivial gossip. Let’s face facts. We have some deviant, dishonest, hardened criminals– wolves in sheep’s clothing– in positions of power in our Church. Serious changes must be made, to truly ensure the safety of minors, in our churches. The cases of clergy child molestation and rape never end.
Guilt by association is not Christian.
No. Watch out. You can’t fool Almighty God. The Judgment Day is coming. God is Divine Truth and Divine Justice. God knows the state of your soul– and what you did.
We need to protect minors and older teens and adults.
If accused of sexual assault of a minor, priests are immediately suspended.
If the victims are over 18, nothing happens.
Sometimes with enough bad press they get moved or removed.
All down votes are courtesy of jon and his aliases .. and all the kudos for jon’s comments are also by jon … and his aliases.
Nope.
Take a look at this. Makes me sick! https://bishoppatbuckley.blog/2021/05/08/cardinal-mahony-sued-for-sexuallyassaulting-male-teen/
Sorry– here is the original article– read this instead:
https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/cdl-mahony-accused-of-child-sex-abuse
Today, I submitted a news article regarding a case last year, in which Cdl. Mahony was charged with repeated sexual assaults of a Mexican immigrant teenage boy. The charges were later dropped– no explanation. However, I noticed that the news article I submitted, was actually a reprint, posted in the Blog of some unknown source. Here is the original news article: https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/cdl-mahony-accused-of-child-sex-abuse
It is a lawsuit, not criminal charges. The charges were not dropped because there were none. The Archdiocese claims that the lawsuit is being withdrawn but no confirmation of that.
“McElroy knows that he will pay no price for such associations under this pontificate”. But, at the end of his days, when he is before God — he will pay a price. He can run all his life but he can’t hide from the Last Judgment. If unrepentant to the end, he will suffer perdition.
Many Catholics today, unfortunately, have very poor religious and moral training. Many do not understand the grave seriousness of Mortal Sin. Mortal Sin is a terrible thing– a tremendous loss of your relationship with God, a horrible cancer in a darkened soul, committed to its false god, Satan. Criminals in jail who have souls darkened greatly by Mortal Sin, need a great deal of “Tough Love” from prison ministries that work with them. It is not easy. And it is also a very hard task, for hardened Pharisaic Hypocrite criminals of the clergy, who have positions of tremendous power and ego– and live deceitful lives of horrific Mortal Sin– to have true Christians work with them, and try to get them to honestly face their sins– and honestly repent and change their lives.
A very hard task– many are not interested. To life’s end– they may continue in their lives of Mortal Sin– and die in a state of Mortal Sin. We all need to clearly know and understand– what happens next…
I once, many years ago, talked to the secretary of a Bishop, who was totally devastated. She and her husband were involved in a lawsuit against her boss. For many years, she and her husband and family had been friends with the Bishop and many priests of the Diocese, and had had many of them over to their home, for dinner. Well, one time after a big party, her 8-year-old son came to her crying. The Bishop and one of his priests had sodomized her little son, and had done other sex acts on him. Crime and sin is a very serious thing. Not something to babyishly and cowardly misinterpret, downplay, and excuse– with false, babyish “Christian” ideals. Glad that this family won their lawsuit. But their lives were destroyed.
This is most likely a false story from “Lawsuit” possibly aimed at, again, discrediting the whole of the only authentic Magisterium of the Church. If it is true, then we need the facts, names, defendants, etc.