A 32-year-old man filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Cardinal Roger Mahony and an ex-priest who was returned to parish duties even after admitting to molesting children.
Mahony went on to reassign Michael Baker to several other Roman Catholic parishes, where he abused more boys, many of them immigrants.
The lawsuit is one of the first cases filed against Mahony, formerly the Archbishop of Los Angeles, since California enacted legislation last year that sets aside the state statute of limitations and provides more time for victims of childhood sexual abuse to seek civil damages.
Baker has been accused of molesting at least 23 men as young boys during his decades in the priesthood. He was convicted in 2007 of abusing two boys and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Wednesday’s lawsuit was filed by a man identified only as John Doe, who alleges he was repeatedly sexually abused from about age 6 to 10, between 1993 and 1997, at St. Columbkille Church in South Los Angeles. Baker had confided to Mahony in 1986 that he had molested two boys.
“This case represents one more sordid example of the efforts of Cardinal Mahony to hide and enable assault on children by a serial pedophile priest,” said attorney John Manly, whose law firm was part of massive litigation that saw the Archdiocese pay out more than $700 million in settlements. “Many victims were denied access to the courts since the 1990s by California’s outdated statute of limitations,” he added.
The archdiocese issued a statement Wednesday saying Baker deceived an array of people.
“The Archdiocese has expressed deep regret for the mistakes made in handling the case of former priest, Michael Baker, and has implemented many changes and reforms in the thirty years since to ensure that parishes, schools and ministries continue to be safe places for all in our communities.”
The new state legislation is expected to renew mass litigation against the Catholic Church and other institutions with knowledge of abusers’ histories.
Mahony, who retired in 2011, has blogged and sought to represent immigrant causes, but he remains a controversial figure.
Full story at Los Angeles Times.
Mahoney has done incalculable evil, during his time as a Roman Catholic cleric! He should never have been ordained! He has NO MORAL CONSCIENCE! He should have been caught early, in his evils, and kicked out of the Church! I was so sickened by him, when I saw the shocking film, “Delivet Us From Evil,” and when reading the book, “Good-Bye, Good Men,” and watching that Satanic “wolf in sheep’s clothing” totally destroy poor Mother Angelica! And the Pope never lifted a finger, to help the poor, persecuted, good nun! He likewise never lifted a finger, to do justice to victims of evil clergy child sex molestation! Instead, he evilly publicly honored their wicked abusers! will never be a total fan of that Pope (now a saint!)— sorry! Made me SICK!! Too much SICKENING HYPOCRISY!!
And the settlement will cost the diocese millions. Another reason NOT to support the annual Together in Mission fundraiser. Your money can be diverted, so the poor schools you intended to help will be left wanting, while legal bills and payouts mount up. Show your disgust by sending your money elsewhere.
This isn’t really news?
The real news story is why local bishops still pay homage at the altar of this wolf by prancing him around at episcopal ordinations and other major ecclesiastical events.
Anon , Cash Watch, and Steve S, AMEN, AMEN, AMEN I would add sadly it will get worse , I was at mass Yesterday and it was announced that our “assessment ” has gone up , I am calling it the mahoney tax , as with the lifting of the statute of limitations this diocese will be hit hard by his past sins . An FYI the settlement of 660 million , did not cover legal expenses , the case went on for five years so an argument can be made that mahoney has cost this archdiocese over a billion dollars . How much this round will cost in money, souls and vocations is terrible to contemplate. The mahoney, the mccarrick and others of this ilk do not have the horror of sin much less compassion for the victims , the families or the ripple effects on the church and the laity.
As a former catholic turned atheist I’m pleased to see that more and more of the US population is identifying as non believers. As more and more Catholic Churches close their doors for good, and other Christian denominations as well, I’m pleased that rational critical scientific thinking is prevailing over society. Dr. Richard Dawkins and Dr. Sam Harris are the two prominent movers and shakers in the New Atheism Movemnt that has swept across the US and the rest of the world. And there will be more and more criminals in the Catholic Church brought to justice. This is only the beginning. The “people’s pope” Pope Francis, can do all his wretched little heart desires to “bring people back” to the church, but he’s playing on a losing team. The church’s fan base is dying off and he knows it. I only wish I’d live long enough to see the Catholic Church get its final flush into oblivion.