Cardinal Roger Mahony, former archbishop of Los Angeles, is “sorry.”

It is possible that he is sorry that hundreds of children were sexually assaulted by priests on his watch, or that he knew about it, facilitated it and covered it up.

But what Mahony actually expressed sorrow and regret for on Monday when publicly released files showed his complicity in all of the above was this: He was sorry that he didn’t realize back in the dark ages of the 1980s that children really, really don’t like being molested.

Who knew?

“Even as we began to confront the problem, I remained naïve myself about the full and lasting impact these horrible acts would have on the lives of those who were abused by men who were supposed to be their spiritual guides,” Mahony wrote in a statement released upon publication online of documents in a court case that detailed how he and other high-ranking members of the Catholic Church shielded priests—from discovery and prosecution—who they knew to be breaking the law by molesting children.

Correspondence between Mahony and Monsignor Thomas J. Curry reveals discussions about “treating” known pedophile priest Michael Baker in a state other than California where his predilections wouldn’t legally have to be revealed. “Sounds good—please proceed,” Mahony wrote Curry. Mahony and Curry both knew Father Peter Garcia had assaulted at least 20 youths “in a felony first degree manner” but agreed that the best reason for keeping him away from L.A. was that he might be recognized and incur legal action “in both the criminal and civil sector.”  

Pedophilia is one of modern society’s great taboos. Rape and abuse in any fashion by one’s spiritual adviser are also high on the list of universally decried behaviors. Mahony’s statement indirectly confirms his knowledge that all three were taking place, but denies knowing, at the time, the “lasting impact” of any of them.

It was only decades later, after being defiantly dragged through a lengthy judicial process of discovery, and meeting meet with more than 100 victims, that he professed to understand their pain. He has a 3 x 5 card for each of the victims that he reviews on a regular basis and, apparently, naivete is not Mahony’s only flaw. He also has a bad memory.

Mahony prays with the cards “every single day” as a reminder of the victims’ personal stories and includes on the card the name of the priestly assailant “lest I forget that real priests created this appalling harm.”

There is no legal punishment for naivete and, according to experts consulted by the Los Angeles Times, Mahony is as unlikely to be prosecuted for confessing that character flaw as he is for his role in allowing pedophile priests to prey on his flock. The statute of limitations prevents pursuit of suspects in most cases beyond three years after their crimes.

Defense attorney Harlan Braun said, “I can’t imagine them figuring a theory out that goes back that far.” The statute of limitations for lying under oath is longer, but Loyola Law School professor Laurie Levenson said those cases are tough to prove in court.  

“Whatever they did back then was horrendous, unethical and immoral to the point of biblical proportions,” former Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley told the Times, but because of the statute of limitations “it may not be criminal.”

It remains uncertain whether the Catholic Church has the same statute of limitations for disciplining its own.

–Ken Broder

To Learn More:

Los Angeles Cardinal Hid Abuse, Files Show (by Ian Lovett, New York Times)

Steve Lopez: It's Too Late for Cardinal Roger Mahony's Apologies (by Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times)

Church Sex Abuse Files Unlikely to Lead to Charges, Experts Say (by Harriet Ryan, Victoria Kim and Ashley Powers, Los Angeles Times)