Cardinal Roger Mahony's Religious and Political Agenda

What has Cardinal Mahony done about the Pedophile priest?

Fortunately, His Eminence will retire on 26 February 2011 (not soon enough). He has done incalculable damage to that diocese and his successor, Archbishop José Gómez, has his work cut out for him. (BTW, Archbishop Gómez is a very tradition-minded bishop who is greatly loved in his current diocese, San Antonio. At least to date, he has had different positions on most everything (including immigration) than Mahony.

Bottom line: relief is coming.

I think you meant “priests.”

Mahony has used tens of millions of the Church’s dollars to keep himself out of jail. He was among the two or three worst protectors of abusive priests. He has been ranked with Cardinal Law by those who know. But Mahony was much smarter than Law.

BTW: Only four or five priests have been found to be pedophiles. The vast majority of abusers abused teenage boys or young men.

(including immigration)

What evidence do you have that Gómez is any different on illegal aliens than Mahony is?

What evidence do you have that Gómez is any different on illegal aliens than Mahony is?

His rhetoric is distinctly different. While, like Mahony, he advocates for good treatment for immigrants, unlike Mahony, he also acknowledges that this country has a right to restrict immigration.

In this piece reproduced by the Catholic Key blog, he has the following to say (in addition to what one would expect):

Now, it’s true that the right to immigration is not absolute. Church teaching recognizes the government’s right to regulate immigration. To weigh immigration’s impact on the economy and our national security. (NB: it is RARE for me to hear a bishop make even that little statement)

As we stress the Church’s moral principles, we need to be more sensitive to people’s fears. My friends, the opponents of immigration are also people of faith. Many of them, unfortunately, are Catholics. They are hard-working Americans, and our brothers and sisters.

They are afraid. And their fears are legitimate. They’re afraid of another terrorist attack carried out by foreigners able to cross our borders without any trouble. They’re afraid that an influx of foreign workers will drive down their wages or cause them to lose their jobs. These are not baseless fears. And as this financial crisis unfolds on Wall Street, those fears are only going to get worse. (NB: I have never heard a bishop acknowledge that there are legitimate issues on the anti-illegal immigrant side)

The fact is that millions of immigrants are here in blatant violation of U.S. law. This makes law-abiding Americans angry. And it should. Why should they obey the laws if others aren’t punished for breaking them? As advocates, we can’t ignore this fact or somehow argue that our immigration laws don’t matter.

We have to make sure that our laws are fair and understandable. At the same time, we have to insist that our laws be respected and enforced. Those who violate our laws have to be punished.

You would never hear a Mahony or a McCarrick or the like make those types of statements above. I am not saying that I agree with him on what he's said, but it seems to me that he gives us something to work with here.

And that's my point.

Cardinal Roger Mahony's Religious and Political Agenda
Suspended Gay Calif. Priest Laments: Abp. Gomez a 'Sharp Thrust to the Right' for LA Diocese
More Bogus Charges Against Archbishop Gomez
SEX ABUSE LAWSUIT NAMES SAN ANTONIO ARCHDIOCESE
Latino Immigrants Proud That L.A.'s Next Archbishop Is 'One of Us' [Can We Get Rid of Ethnic Pride?]
In Defense of Archbishop Gomez's Handling of Abuse Scandals
Archbishop Gomez: Who is He?

Why Archbishop Gomez is like other Bishops Appointed by Pope Benedict
An Interview with Archbishop José H. Gomez
Gomez vows to be an advocate for L.A.'s immigrants...(misleading title alert!)
San Antonio's Archbishop José Gomez named by Pope to be successor to Cardinal Roger Mahony. ...
Precious words from the archbishop... [Jose Gomez]
New Coadjutor of Los Angeles One of 22 Opus Dei Bishops
Opus Dei Seeks to Make Everyday Life Holier
Archbishop Gomez 'deeply grateful' for Los Angeles appointment
Cardinal Mahony grateful LA will have Hispanic archbishop
Vatican: Archbishop Gomez appointed to Archdiocese of LA

Pope's 'Revenge' As LA Gets Opus Dei Bishop [Pope's "Revenge" on Hollywood Sodomites!]
Gomez Holds Both Conservative And Progressive Views [Denounced College for Pro-Abortion HRC Invite]
Pope Names Latino Leader For L.A. Archdiocese [Member of Conservative Opus Dei Movement]/a>
Historic Appointment to LA Archdiocese
Report: Gomez is going to L.A.
It's Official: New Archbishop [Gomez} for Los Angeles
El Tiempo Ha Venido -- Reports: (Archbishop) Gomez Up to LA (Catholic Caucus)
[To replace Cardinal Mahony] Vatican rumor: an American prelate in play?
Los Angeles Getting a New Archbishop (Part 1)
Los Angeles Getting a New Archbishop (Part 2)