Philadelphia archdiocese apologizes after conviction in abuse case
Tags
Related Posts
About the author
Judge Teresa Sarmina
In response to the jury decision in the trial of former Archdiocese of Philadelphia official Monsignor William J. Lynn, the archdiocese has offered a “heartfelt apology” to all abuse victims and expressed commitment to child safety and “reform and renewal.”
“This has been a difficult time for all Catholics, especially victims of sexual abuse,” the archdiocese said June 22. “The lessons of the last year have made our Church a more vigilant guardian of our people’s safety.”
A Philadelphia jury on Friday convicted Msgr. Lynn, the former secretary of clergy under Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, on a count of child endangerment for failing to protect children from abusive priests.
Prosecutors argued that Msgr. Lynn’s actions showed a pattern by Church officials to cover up the abuse, but the jury found him not guilty on a conspiracy charge and a second count of endangerment.
The 61-year-old priest faces up to seven years in prison. He was not accused of abuse himself.
“Now and in the future, the Church will continue to take vigorous steps to ensure safe church environments for all the faithful in Philadelphia,” the archdiocese said in response to the jury’s decision.
The jury deadlocked on charges of attempted rape and endangerment against Msgr. Lynn’s co-defendant, Father James J. Brennan, who allegedly attempted to rape a 14-year-old boy in 1996.
Msgr. Lynn faced accusations that he recommended Fr. Brennan and then-Fr. Edward Avery be allowed to live or work in parishes in the 1990s even though the two showed signs they might abuse minors.
Avery, who was laicized in March 2006, pled guilty to sexually assaulting a 10-year-old altar boy in 1999. He is currently serving a 2 1/2 to 5 year sentence in state prison.
Msgr. Lynn served 12 years as an advisor to Cardinal Bevilacqua and was chief investigator of clergy misconduct.
The prosecution argued that his response to claims of abuse against over 20 priests showed he focused on protecting the Church instead of children. They said he lied to some victims and did not seek out others. The prosecutors also said he suggested to some sexually abusive priests that they may have been seduced by their accusers.
Msgr. Lynn said that prosecutors misconstrued his words and memos. He said medical experts had advised him not to seek out other possible victims because the victims might not want to discuss the abuse.
He portrayed his comments about seduction as efforts to do anything to persuade an abusive priest out of ministry and into treatment.
After the sentence was announced, Judge M. Teresa Sarmina revoked Msgr. Lynn’s bail and remanded him into custody. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 13.
SOURCE
CNA
Leave a Comment
Photo Archive
-
May 24, 2013 7:00
Historic vote to accept gays as Boy Scouts draws mixed faith response
-
May 24, 2013 6:55
Faith-Healing Churches linked to 2 dozen child deaths
-
May 24, 2013 6:51
Clergy campaign for indigent care
-
May 24, 2013 6:46
Five more come forward alleging abuse by Hawaii Catholic priests
-
May 23, 2013 1:58
Religious freedom reports see little improvement in troubling countries
-
May 23, 2013 1:43
LGBT Catholics find a new supporter: An openly gay priest
-
May 22, 2013 1:37
Tornadoes exact deadly toll; region needs ‘a lot of prayers right now’
-
May 22, 2013 1:32
State Dept. report says countries have repressed religious freedom with laws
-
May 22, 2013 1:23
2 lawsuits filed against Maine Catholic church
-
May 21, 2013 1:32
Church Whistle-Blowers Join Forces on Abuse
11 Comments
What a pity it had to come this far, all the innocent lives lost, spiritually and physically ,literaly in many cases.
Let’s see what happens in Australia, not looking too good at the moment with Judy Courtin and supporters seeking a Royal Commission.
Cardinal Pell’s evacuation is a sign of the times.
How can a “heartfelt apology” mean anything after a conviction of covering up perverts and pedophiles for the church all those years. When will the catholic population wake up and see these men for what they are…perverts and child molesters hiding behind black and white collars. It’s time to pull them down from their ivory towers and hold them accountable as the criminals they are, but certainly not the emissary of Christ.
Tony, you’re right on!!! Thanks be to God things are starting to clear up for the good of the Church which is People of God.
Chuck, here’s a question for you: how many non-priest “People of God” can change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus?
And if the people of God did not believe, it wouldn’t matter ehat the priests say they can do
So, Tony, are you telling me that if a priest pronounces the words of consecration, but no one at the Mass believes except for him, that no actual consecration occurs?
The consecration occurs, but so what, if no one believes it except for him.
It just doesnt matter to the collective conscience of the world.
Well, how you could say “so what” when a priest consecrates the Eucharist is ridiculous. “So what” — the most incredible miracle has occurred. “So what” that the Creator of the universe has been brought into the world Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. But, it is true, Tony, that the less in a state of grace you are, the less grace you receive from the Eucharist — and, with unconfessed mortal sin and if received with impunity, you drink condemnation unto yourself. Given your cafeteria Catholicism, you are not receiving the graces you could be if you would be obedient to the Church and believe ALL of what she teaches.
If in the collective consiousness no one beleives the the euchrist is the body and blood of Christ, it means nothing because they do not beleive.
So, Tony, you think undercover Vatican agents came in the middle of the night and did the Cardinal in? You are fanciful. You probably also believe George Bush bombed the world trade center.
The priests of Philadelphia have played, the Cardinal has covered their terrible, horrendous crimes, and now the good people of the diocese must pay by having many of their churches closed, their catholic newspaper closed, and a lot of services cut back.
Thank you for the leadership of Cardinal Bevalaqua.
I still say the “natural” death of the Cardinal days before he was to testify should be reopened.