Cover
story
Church in Crisis -- A chronology of sex abuse in Southern
California
By ARTHUR JONES
Los Angeles
Analysis
This chronology concerns what the Southern California public knows
about regional clerical sex abuse in the Catholic church and when the public
knew it. It is seen through excerpts from the Los Angeles Times and the
Los Angeles Daily Journal, the local legal newspaper.
The chronology runs from March 2002 to January 2003. It opens with
two Times articles, one on the Catholic priests and pastors damaged by
the behavior of their confreres; the other on predatory priests’
victims.
In its most extensive single-issue coverage, on Aug. 18, the
Times devoted five pages of the paper to an account and listing of all
accusations, charges and verdicts in cases and allegations concerning priests
in Los Angeles since Roger Mahony was appointed archbishop in 1985. (The
Times account was summarized in NCR’s Aug. 30, 2002,
issue.)
The opening sentences in bold are the headlines as published in
the newspapers; the date, which follows the text, is the publication date of
the issue.
March 2002
L.A. Priests anguished, angry over sex scandal
At
a workshop on abuse, some Catholic priests say they “feel they’re
being picked on.” Several priests lamented that the furor has caused them
to shrink back from the normal gestures of hugging children. … One found
himself hesitating over whether to place his hands on a parishioner’s head
during absolution rituals. -- March 16
Pontiff speaks on sex
abuse
‘Grievous’ acts by priests are decried;
critics say remarks fall short
Mahony confirms some local clerics
have been removed. “Cardinal Roger Mahony for the first time confirmed
that a ‘few local priests’ in the three-county Los Angeles
archdiocese have been removed from ministries following accusations of sexually
abusing minors. Mahony did not divulge how many clerics had been fired.”
-- March 22
Priest fired as head of school
Encino dismissal
follows allegations that he molested two students and other youths in the
1970s. “Rev. Dominic Savino was ousted from the presidency of Crespi
Carmelite High School and from acting as a priest by the Order of Carmelites,
which operates the school, after it learned of allegations of sexual
abuse.” -- March 23
Sexual abuse victims confront cardinal
Protesters in
Camarillo quietly reproach Mahony for not doing enough about the problem of
molestation by priests. A man whose son was sexually abused by two priests in
Santa Barbara told reporters Mahony needs to release the names of all
perpetrators “so they cannot move on and abuse elsewhere.” Carrying a
sign that read, “Break the Silence,” Jim Falls said he hoped his
presence might “save a child” from what he endured. Falls, now 34,
said he was molested when he was 15. The archdiocese recently dismissed six to
12 priests for sexually abusing minors, according to church sources, but it has
refused to provide any details about their identity, location or number. --
March 25
Mahony won’t name abusers
At a “Mass of
Reparations,” Mahony told a gathering of 300 priests … that he would
support victims of long-ago sexual abuse who want to break confidentiality
agreements and talk, but would not release the names of their abusers. Mahony
also said he accepted full responsibility as head of the nation’s largest
archdiocese for the sins of the past. “I offer my sincere apologies,”
he said. -- March 26
LAPD already has the facts on dismissed priests, Mahony
says
“Mahony wrote [L.A. Police Chief Bernard Parks that the
priests] ‘were prosecuted and served probation many years ago. These cases
are a matter of public record and known to your detectives.’ ” --
March 29
APRIL
Mahony e-mails cite fear over scandals
“A
series of confidential e-mails written by Cardinal Roger M. Mahony show how
pervasively the nationwide child-abuse scandal in the Catholic church has
affected the Los Angeles archdiocese. The e-mails, leaked to radio station KFI,
which provided copies to the Times, paint a picture of a sometimes
agitated archbishop alarmed that he is losing public relations ground. The
memos, written during the past three weeks, capture an archdiocese confronting
political, legal and moral challenges: where to place a priest newly accused to
molesting children; whether the church should start victims support groups; how
to anticipate and counteract media accusations; how to give
‘instruction’ in child-abuse law to the Los Angeles police chief, and
how to measure the number of weeks or months before a ‘healing’
process begins in the church.
“In one e-mail, a top Mahony adviser recommends that the
cardinal remain deliberately vague about where the eight priests served before
Mahony fired them.” -- April 6
Our Big Mistake
Text of an e-mail from Mahony to
archdiocesan lawyer Sr. Judith Murphy: “Sr. Judy -- as the drum beats
continue from every side for us to release the ‘names,’ I must still
point to what I consider our greatest political mistake of the past few weeks.
If I recall, of the 8 priests involved, 5 had already been reported to local
law enforcement agencies. That leaves 3.
“Recall that I also pressed for you to meet with [LAPD sex
crimes Detective] Barraclough and ‘consult’ with him about the other
3 so that we could state without hesitation that all priests no longer in
service had been reported to various law enforcement agencies.
“You resisted quite strongly that suggestion.
“I hope you have now changed your mind by now!” -- April
6
The Amazing ‘Teflon Cardinal’
“In
1998, Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony was a central figure in one of the most
notorious sex-abuse trials in Catholic church history. The case involved two
Stockton-area brothers who had been abused by a priest from the time they were
toddlers until they were in their late teens, both before and after the
Stockton diocese had received complaints against the priest. A jury was so
disturbed by the drama that unfolded in San Joaquin County Superior Court, it
awarded $30 million in damages to the brothers, an amount later negotiated to
$7 million. Mahony was not a defendant in the case, but he was bishop of
Stockton during a critical period addressed in the lawsuit. He had ordered an
evaluation after the priest himself admitted he was a molester, then reassigned
him to another parish, where he abused victims for years to come.” --
April 7
Mahony gives abuse panel more muscle
Mahony
announced that he is expanding the scope and authority of a panel overseeing
all sexual abuse allegations in the Los Angeles archdiocese in an effort to add
more credibility to the process. … He will expand the existing nine-member
sexual abuse advisory council to 15 members. -- April 18
Mahony takes his message to airwaves
Cardinal,
slow to react publicly to sex-abuse crisis, regains his media-savvy ways.
“On a day when an alternative newspaper pictured him on its cover with a
zipper locking his lips, Mahony settled in for a series of interviews to get
word out he is committed to taking direct action against sexual abuse.” --
April 19
In the crucible, Mahony takes control of
message
After a defensive start, the Los Angeles archdiocese’s
media-savvy cardinal is getting high marks for confronting abuse and presenting
himself as a reformer.
“… Mahony can brag that his archdiocese has implemented
the toughest rules in the nation against priests who molest children. But that
boast was made possible only because one of the church’s stubborn accusers
insisted last December that the new policy be part of his record $5.2 million
settlement. In all, 11 changes were made to the diocese policies as part of a
settlement with abuse victim Ryan DiMaria.” -- April 28
(The archdiocesan spokesperson said that zero tolerance was not
mandated by the DiMaria case settlement and that all but two of the
non-monetary agreements were already in place or being planned by the
archdiocese prior to the DiMaria settlement.)
… Two weeks ago
[Mahony] went to a major
public relations firm, Weber Shandwick, to craft the message that would serve
him in the weeks ahead. He began to speak publicly. … He began every
interview and discussion with comments about the victims and apologies to them.
-- April 28
Priest accused of molesting 4 retires
early
“A 69-year-old Catholic cleric assigned to the new
cathedral in downtown Los Angeles has been reported to police and forced to
retire by … Mahony because of allegations that he sexually abused four
boys in the 1960s and 1970s. The [alleged victim], now 46, said he told church
officials in 1989 that he and one of his brothers were molested by [Fr. Carl]
Sutphin in the 1960s when the priest worked at Maywood’s St. Rose of Lima
church. Two years later, he said, he wrote a letter to Cardinal Mahony making
the same allegations. ‘They promised me he’d retire and not be
allowed to wear a collar,’ said the man.” -- April 29
O.C. [Orange County] parish loses 2nd priest to abuse
report
In Dana Point, a clergyman is on leave after past molestation
is alleged. San Bernardino diocese ousts two clerics after similar accusations.
-- April 30
Cardinal sued over molestation cases
Civil
filings on behalf of two sets of brothers accuse Mahony of running a criminal
enterprise. “… Mahony was sued … in Los Angeles Superior Court
under a federal racketeering law [RICO] typically used to dismantle organized
crime operations. … The lawsuits allege that Mahony protected abusive
priests as head of the archdiocese, a pattern of behavior that constitutes a
criminal enterprise.” -- April 30
MAY
Church sued for abuser’s
transfer
[Milwaukee] bishops sent to Orange County a priest
convicted of molestation, suit alleges. Man says he became a victim. -- May
1
Priest is sought in paternity claim
Woman says
one of seven clerics impregnated her and asks for cardinal’s help. “A
woman who alleges that she was made pregnant at the age of 16 by one of seven
Catholic priests who had sex with her 20 years ago said she wants … Mahony
to help her daughter identify which man is her father. Rita Milla
said she was sexually abused by Fr. Santiago Tamayo [who in 1991 apologized
face-to-face to Milla]. [The cardinal was] very open to helping Milla identify
the father.” -- May 7
Cardinal Mahony kept cleric’s abuse secret for 4
years
“A popular Los Angeles priest told … Mahony in 1986
that he molested young boys but was reassigned to parishes and allegedly
continued his sexual abuse of minors for more than a decade, documents and
interviews show. Mahony later approved a secret $1.3 million payment to two men
who said they had been abused by the priest, Fr. Michael Stephen Baker, from
1984 to 1999. The cardinal arranged for the priest to quietly retire from the
archdiocese in 2000.” -- May 16
(The archdiocesan media
spokesperson said that Baker was sent for treatment, severely restricted in
ministry when he returned, and under a specific agreement with Mahony to have
neither physical nor unsupervised contact with minors. Baker violated all the
terms of the agreements, the spokesperson said, adding that when Mahony learned
of the allegations against Baker in 2000, he immediately terminated
Baker’s assignment and began laicization proceedings against him. The
archdiocese also sent a fax to all parishes notifying them of Baker’s
status; when he was laicized on Dec. 5, 2000, all priests of the diocese as
well as neighboring dioceses were informed that Baker was no longer a
priest.)
D.A. demands Mahony turn over documents on
abuse
The leader of the Los Angeles archdiocese is told to comply or
face grand jury action. “[Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve]
Cooley told Mahony it was no longer acceptable to provide only verbal
information to law enforcement agencies, as he said the Los Angeles archdiocese
has done until now. Cooley’s warning was the toughest yet from law
enforcement after nearly three months of guarded responses by the
archdiocese.” -- May 17
L.A. archdiocese enlists services of top PR
firm
Sitrick & Co., “known for navigating clients through
bad publicity,” has been hired by the archdiocese to navigate the sex
abuse scandal. Sitrick has represented Enron after the energy giant’s
fall, talk show host Laura Schlessinger after her negative comments about gays,
actress Halle Berry after her traffic accident, comedian Paula Poundstone after
her child-endangerment case and Orange County during its 1995 bankruptcy. --
May 18
Mahony vows to open files to authorities
Under
threat of grand jury probe, he says documents will be available. Meanwhile,
Vatican discourages disclosure of abuse allegations. “One day after being
threatened with a grand jury investigation … Mahony pledged to make the
Roman Catholic archdiocese’s files on priestly abuse available to the
district attorney’s office.” -- May 18
Priest’s abuse case dates to ’67
The
archdiocese did not remove Fr. G. Neville Rucker until April. “The Los
Angeles archdiocese knew for three decades about 1967 child abuse accusations
against … Rucker. … Rucker is the last of seven archdiocese priests
forced out of the ministry this year as Mahony began enforcing a zero-tolerance
policy … included in a $5.2 million lawsuit settlement last year.” --
May 18
Ex-altar boy alleges priest abused him
Complaint
filed under federal racketeering law claims Mahony protected Fr. Michael
Stephen Baker. Cardinal calls suit baseless. “The lawsuit alleges that
Baker abused at least a dozen young boys between 1975 and 1999. … Mahony
called the racketeering [RICO] suit ‘baseless and irresponsible.’
Baker acknowledged telling Mahony in a 1986 meeting that he had abused
‘two or three’ children. Baker said the cardinal did not press him
for details and he did not provide any. The Times reported last week
that Mahony transferred Baker to nine parishes after learning about the
priest’s history of sex abuse and later approved a secret $1.3 million
settlement to two men.” -- May 21
Experts doubt RICO will fit clergy
scandal
Critics say publicity is only motive for conspiracy charges
-- not a “predicate” act. “The only valid reason for using RICO
[the Racketeering Influence and Corrupt Organizations law] against the Vatican
or any entity of the Catholic church, in the context of child sexual abuse, is
to gain publicity or access to more clients,” said Notre Dame University
law professor G. Robert Blakey, the nation’s foremost expert on
racketeering law. -- Daily Journal, May 22
JUNE
Ethnicity colors views of scandal
Some Catholics
in the L.A. archdiocese earmarked their weekly offering “parish
only,” withholding money from the archdiocese in an attempt to voice
displeasure with the handling of the sex abuse crisis. Others, including
hundreds of Latinos, took part in a massive street rally, singing hymns and
waving signs proclaiming their support for their faith, their priests, abuse
victims and Cardinal Mahony. -- June 10
Files on 8 priests are demanded
The archdiocese
says it will comply with third set of subpoenas in sexual abuse inquiry. --
June 15
Mahony asks forgiveness for handling of
scandal
“Acknowledging his own shortcomings in handling sexual
abuse by the clergy … Mahony on Sunday asked ‘for forgiveness’
from Southern California Catholics ‘for not understanding earlier the
extent of the problem’ or acting sooner to remove priests who abused
minors. … two-page letter was read to congregations at the 287 churches
throughout the three-county archdiocese.” -- June 24
JULY
Church’s defense called valid -- to a
point
Mahony, meeting with a group of Times reporters and
editors … repeatedly said it was unfair to impose today’s standards
of judgment on bishops who had kept priests in ministry on the basis of
psychological advice of a different era. -- July 4
Lawsuit accuses bishop of sex abuse
A bishop who
was forced to resign as head of the Santa Rosa diocese by a sex scandal in 1999
was accused in a suit of molesting a Huntington Park altar boy. The abuse
allegedly began in 1968 and continued for nearly 20 years. The suit against G.
Patrick Ziemann, 60, claims the relationship went on until Ziemann was named
auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles in 1987. -- July 7
SEPTEMBER
Archdiocese to cut programs, jobs to close budget
gap
“[Mahony] said the deficits result from losses in the stock
market. Other officials of the archdiocese have said in the past that the
church also needs to set aside money to prepare for the potential costs of
sexual abuse cases.” -- Sept. 19
Two former L.A.-area priests are arrested
Pair
allegedly molested children years ago; a warrant is issued for third cleric. --
Sept. 26
Two ex-priests charged in molestations
Michael
Baker does not enter a plea to 29 counts; Carlos Rodriguez pleads guilty to
eight. A third cleric is still at large. -- Sept. 27
OCTOBER
Ex-priest pleads not guilty to sex abuse
Former
priest Michael Baker faces 29 counts. In another case, bail is reduced
for retired priest accused of molesting seven girls. -- Oct. 18
Priest is sought on 33 counts of
molestation
Warrant is issued for Sigfried Frank Widera, who served
in Anaheim and Yorba Linda; he previously had been convicted in Wisconsin. --
Oct. 29
DECEMBER
L.A. priest blamed for legacy of pain
Ten
persons, including relatives, say the Jesuit molested them. He denies it and
has not been charged. “Jesuit leaders say they first learned about [Fr.
Jerold] Lindner’s past a decade ago when his brother told them that the
priest had sexually abused three nieces, a nephew and a younger sibling.”
-- Dec. 14
JANUARY 2003
Lawyers want archdiocese’s internal
papers
Lawyers for 140 alleged victims of sexual abuse by Catholic
priests said they will not negotiate blank settlements with the Los Angeles
archdiocese and the Orange diocese without first gaining access to financial
information and internal documents that could force accountability for
higher-ups in the church.
“J. Michael Hennigan, of Hennigan, Bennett & Droman,
attorney and spokesman for the Los Angeles archdiocese, said, ‘All our
energies are focused on resolution of these claims.’ ” -- Los
Angeles Daily Journal, Jan. 3
National Catholic Reporter, January 31,
2003
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