I’ve NEVER respected Roger Mahony. I think he’s one of those false priests that neatly encapsulates almost everything that’s wrong with the Catholic Church, and which gives it a bad name.
He’s awful, but unfortunately, there’s not really a way, this late in the game, of preventing him from voting in the Conclave - without giving the liberals (whose side he’s on, of course) the opportunity to claim that the conclave is illegitimate and invalid.
If it’s any consolation, one of the reporters from Rome was in a restaurant where groups of other cardinals were dining and saw Mahony dining...alone. I don’t think he’s got much influence left.
I lived in California many years ago and was a church-going Catholic.
Mahoney would frequently appear at news conferences and urge people to vote for democrats. He was at the forefront of many liberal causes, including gun-grabbing laws in California.
He flew around L.A. in a private helicopter while advocating for higher taxes and amnesty for illegals.
In addition, he helped cover up for abusive priests.
I have no use for him.