Justices Won't Interfere With Subpoenas for Priests' Files (Mahony loses in SCOTUS)

LA Times ^ | 4/17/06 | Jean Guccione and William Lobdell, Times Staff Writers

[BurbankKarl]

Cardinal Roger M. Mahony must turn over to L.A. prosecutors the personnel files of two priests accused of molestation after the U.S. Supreme Court today declined to hear his request to keep them private.

Though the ruling only affects the files of two priests, it likely opens the door to the release of hundreds of confidential Catholic church files sought by more than 500 people who say they were molested by priests with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Mahony has fought more vigorously than any other prelate in the United States to block attempts by prosecutors and plaintiff attorneys to gain access to internal church documents. He cited broad constitutional privileges that he argued protected any communication between a bishop and his priests.

After the Supreme Court action, Mahony must comply with subpoenas to turn over to authorities the confidential files of two priests, Michael Baker and George Miller, accused of molesting children.

[DumpsterDiver]

Mahony must turn over to L.A. prosecutors the personnel files of two priests accused of molestation after the U.S. Supreme Court today declined to hear his request to keep them private.

I won't be holding my breath.

[sgtbono2002]

Makes one kind of wonder about Mahony dosnt it?

[siunevada]

Catholics say: Yay!

Mahony has fought more vigorously than any other prelate in the United States

It's strictly the principle of the thing. Right, Cardinal?

[sinkspur]

These files have already been turned over to prosecutors in several dioceses.

The next step is for the news media to go to court so that THEY have access to the files as well. This is happening in my diocese and in two others that I'm aware of.

There is the real danger here that victims who do not wish for their names to become public will have them become public, nonetheless, should the DAs decide to just dump these files over to a friendly press.

The laws of unintended consequences come into play here.

[fishbabe]

Its always been like this for the church...God has always sent people to help the church in her time of need..Just keep praying and holding fast to your faith...

[livius]

Well, I'm embarrassed by Mahony, but there are some good bishops out there, and there will be more as time goes by, I suspect. Personally, I don't know why Mahony the heretic is even allowed to keep his day job, although it may be simply to make him deal with the mess he created himself rather than letting him slip away and leave it to others to clean up.

[Cyman]

"As a Roman Catholic with priests/nuns in my family, I am embarrased at the current leadership of the American Catholic church."

I respect your feelings but why do you say that this is a problem with the American Roman Catholic church and not with the global Roman Catholic community?

[siunevada]

I fear it is too late for our church.

Well, nobody ever said the gates of Hell wouldn't give it everything they've got. Just that they won't prevail.

[sinkspur]

I respect your feelings but why do you say that this is a problem with the American Roman Catholic church and not with the global Roman Catholic community?

American bishops are not materially any worse in terms of leadership than any other group of bishops in the world.

In every country where sexual abuse by clergy has been revealed (and that's most of them), bishops were found to have covered up and transferred the offenders.

This was the way things were done up until the 1990s.

[pgkdan]

I fear it is too late for our church... As a Roman Catholic with priests/nuns in my family, I am embarrased at the current leadership of the American Catholic church.

It will never be too late for our Church, we have the Savior's promise that the gates of hell will never prevail against Her. That doesn't mean they won't try, and they're tryiong now. I'm embarrassed by the like of Mahoney too...how he ever got the Red Hat, I'll never know. But just as I'm embarrassed by Mahoney I'm heartened by our great Pontiff and and other members of our hierarchy.

[fishbabe]

Your right on the money....If more catholics read catholic history,they would find its always been bad for the church, and her enemies have been numerous,in and out of the church....People like horny mahoney have been in the church from the beginning...Can anyone say JUDAS???????

[siunevada]

In our dioceses, there was never a single mention at any service about the pedophile scandal and never a single item from the Bishop.

Surely you mean diocese, singular. Not dioceses, plural.

Because I recall vividly the abject apology on behalf of the Church by my pastor at the time. Even though he was a man who had nothing to do with it, the burden to apologize fell on his shoulders. And my Bishop has made more than one public apology even though every allegation levelled took place before his time.

[petkus]

Isn't this the Great Moral Leader heading the Illegal Alien revolt in our country?

Since the advent of this illegal alien revolt, has anybody heard any of the talking heads talk about Cardinal Mahony in the context of his pedophile priest and how he is covering up this situation?

Just imagine if the Rev Jerry Falwell was involved in a similar situation how the media would crucify him!

[newzjunkey]

Doesn't set precedent but perhaps a wise move for SCOTUS. Mahony has real problems beyond this scandal including his support for illegals.

[Jeff Chandler]

Some of the worst gay predations of teenage boys perpetrated by Michael Baker occurred at St. Paul of the Cross in La Mirada, California, the church I grew up in. Fr. Baker was an advocate of "charismatic" Catholicism, and a close friend of Mahoney.