Time To Remove Cardinal Roger Mahony and Put Him In Prison

As more allegations of wrongdoings against cardinals and bishops are surfacing, we must remember the crimes and the victims at the hands of Cardinal Roger M. Mahony.

Cdl. Mahony is still free, living comfortably in a lavish house, celebrating masses and sacraments, and not in prison.

EVIL HAS INFILTRATED THE CHURCH. It is time to clean it!

This petition is directed to:

1.    Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez and all auxiliary bishops of Los Angeles including Joseph Brennan, Robert Barron, Marc Trudeau, Alexander Salazar, David O’Connell to take charge of the situation by removing and denouncing Cdl. Mahony and predator priests or to resign immediately.

2.    Pope Francis to strip the title of Cardinal and expel Roger Mahony.

3.    Father Jose Magaña of St. Charles Borromeo of North Hollywood to expel this criminal, Roger Mahony, from the property and stop endangering children with Mahony’s presence.

4.    Los Angeles Chief of Police Michel Moore and Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey to file criminal charges and prosecute Cardinal Roger Mahony.

Introduction:  

Many of us faithful feel betrayed, angry and abandoned by our spiritual leaders who do not remove sexual predator priests, and especially the bishops who do not denounce them.

The Pennsylvania Grand Jury report detailing despicable crimes by Cdl. Wuerl and the abuse committed by Cdl. McCarrick reminds us of the biggest criminal of all, Cdl. Roger Mahony of Los Angeles. Mahony is the poster child and example of what happens to criminals in the Church: NOTHING! This has to stop NOW!

The problem is not going away, and these bad characters are living freely while hurting others and debilitating the Church. Some inside the Church including laity, are well aware of what is going on and have chosen to stay quiet. Perhaps they believe that ignoring, hiding and covering up wrongdoings is merciful and the best way to approach the problem. They may not realize that enabling sin puts all souls involved at risk of eternal damnation.

This petition is created by devout Catholics with the intention of strengthening the Church. We know how good the Church is, and we want it to grow and continue its mission to spread the Good News. We will never leave the Church, and want the great majority of priests and religious who are good and holy to flourish. But, the bad apples must go away for good. All of them!

The Catholic Church feeds more people, heals more people and educates more people than any other organization in the world. The Church has defended and protected the Cross for over 2,000 years - in many cases against the most menacing evils. But it took men and women of courage to lead the way. Some current leaders are weak, passive, and few are accomplices of horrible crimes. They protect their fellow priests, regardless of criminal actions, instead of protecting the vulnerable faithful. They have witnessed serious, horrific crimes and have chosen to stay quiet.

The vow of obedience calls for priests to be obedient to God. This vow does not mean that they have to obey evil doers or evil itself.

We recently learned of the crimes committed by Cardinal Theodore McCarrick and Cdl. Wuerl and how the bishops around them knew for years and kept quiet. It is time to send a loud and clear message to everyone in the Church that their crimes will not go silent any longer. It is time to reestablish trust and bring people back to the Church.

“...in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do..”  

1.   Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez and all auxiliary bishops of Los Angeles including Joseph Brennan, Robert Barron, Marc Trudeau, Alexander Salazar and David O’Connell to take charge of the situation by removing and denouncing Mahony and predator priests, or to resign immediately.

In 2013 you, Archbishop Jose Gomez stripped Mahony from public duties in Los Angeles. The very next day, you issued a statement saying that Mahony was a priest “in good standing” and gave him the honorary title of Bishop Emeritus. This action clearly demonstrates a lack of leadership necessary to occupy the post of bishop of the largest dioceses in the United States. You are shielding a criminal and debilitating our Church. Mahony continues to celebrate masses and distribute the Holy Eucharist at St. Charles Borromeo and other parishes. Mahony’s house is right next to the school yard of St. Charles School where children play. Your actions are aiding and abetting a criminal.

Time to act or resign immediately if you can’t act and protect the faithful, especially the children. 

This is a formal call to the bishops to act now or resign from their posts.

An urgent call to Bishops: Joseph Brennan, Robert Barron, Alexander Salazar, David O’Connell. What in the world are you waiting for? Who are you trying to protect? Is your plan to stay quiet, hide your head in the sand, and continue as sheep when you are supposed to be the Shepherd’s helpers? Mahony and his actions are like termites, quietly eating away the foundation of our Church. They are quietly eating away on good souls and leading people astray.

Time to force Archbishop Jose H. Gomez to finally strip Mahony of his title and his duties. He can not continue to celebrate masses and cannot live next to innocent children.

Marc Trudeau, you served as personal assistant to Mahony for years. What do you know? Why are you so quiet? And why did you accept the appointment as auxiliary bishop when you perhaps aided Mahony’s crimes? Time to speak loudly or resign.

Jose Gomez and auxiliary bishops of Los Angeles: Are you afraid of denouncing Mahony? Please assure the faithful that you can protect us from pedophile, abusive, and actively gay priests in the Church.

Many Catholics have left the Church and continue leaving the Church because of these grave moral inconsistencies. Will you go down in history as the complices of a criminal or people that cleaned the clergy and made a difference?

Also, why is Bishop Curry still active? He is also guilty of aiding and abetting criminals and YOU KNOW IT! 

2.    Pope Francis to strip the title of Cardinal and expel Mahony immediately.

Stop saying that you’re “deeply saddened” and start acting.  

The Church needs your leadership. There is no question about Mahony’s wrongdoings. There is no question of his actions and crimes. Please Holy Father, strip Mahony of his title and benefits, and make our Church stronger. We are in desperate need of leadership!

You accepted the resignation of another criminal, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. It is time to do the same with Mahony and all the bishops that harbored his crimes including, but not limited to, Msgr. Thomas J. Curry.

People like Mahony are like termites. They are silently eating away the foundation of the Church. They are debilitating and undermining the Church. We have allowed this to keep happening for years and years. We know how bad and damaging Mahony’s actions, his huge ego and criminal behavior have damaged the Church and its image.

The idea that he and other bishops and cardinals will grow old and the problem will die with them, is not a solution. We need to send a loud and clear message to current clergy and people working in the Church: we will not allow crimes to go unpunished any longer. No more silence. No more cover-ups. This is the era of cleaning and eliminating the bad apples, especially in the Church.  

Our actions will also help other religious organizations to act. Christian Protestant and Jewish congregations have pedophile, child abusers and crooks as well. In some cases, in higher numbers and more vicious crimes than the Catholic Church. They too, have to speak up and take action. 

3.   Father Jose Magaña of St. Charles Borromeo of North Hollywood to expel this criminal, Mahony, from the property and stop endangering children with Mahony’s presence.

As the new pastor of St. Charles Borromeo, you inherited Cdl. Mahony, and you do not have to shield him. For years, Monsignor Gallagher allowed Mahony to live in the church’s residence. We know that Gallagher and Mahony were close friends. Now that Monsignor Gallagher has passed, it is time for you to take charge and get Mahony out. By shielding Mahony, you are aiding and abetting a criminal while debilitating our Church. You are shielding, aiding, and abetting evil.

The residence where Mahony lives is right next to the St. Charles Borromeo’s school yard.  By keeping Mahony at St. Charles, you are risking children that study and play right next to Mahony’s residence in the church property. Why are you keeping a criminal next to innocent children? Ask him to leave the church’s premises immediately while staying in the Los Angeles County to face criminal prosecution.

Time to clean house and do God’s work.

4.    Los Angeles Chief of Police Michel Moore and Los Angeles District Attorney Jackie Lacey to file criminal charges and prosecute Cardinal Roger Mahony.

Chief Michel Moore, DA Jackie Lacey: There is enough evidence to criminally charge one Roger Michael Mahony (“Mahony”) and put him behind bars.

In Penal Code 32 PC, California law defines "accessory after the fact" as harboring, concealing or aiding a person whom you know has committed a felony, in order to protect him or her from arrest, trial, conviction and/or sentencing. There is no statute of limitation involving child abuse and the majority of Mahony’s crimes came to light in 2013.

It is no secret. Mahony aided and abetted pedophile, child abusive priests for years. Mahony knowingly harbored, concealed or aided many criminals. He knew of their crimes. He knew of their victims. Instead of calling the police, he manipulated information, moved these criminals from parish to parish and allowed the crimes to continue. He directed priests to hide and leave the Los Angeles jurisdiction and the country to avoid criminal prosecution. According to bishop-accountability.org there have also been two allegations against him.

Fifteen years before the clergy sex abuse scandal came to light, Mahony and his top advisor Msgr. Thomas J. Curry (“Curry”) plotted to conceal child molestation by priests from law enforcement, including keeping them out of California to avoid prosecution.

For some unexplained reason, no criminal charges were ever filed against Mahony or Curry. There are 14,000 documents on the case. Several incriminate them of wrongdoings. There are deposition transcripts and piles of evidence.

In the era of the #MeToo movement and when police departments across the nation are taking charge of lesser crimes, it is time for Los Angeles to do its part.

Mahony’s public defense has always been that it was a long time ago and at that time he did not know what to do. Calling the police was not something so hard to do. Actually, it was way easier than hiding these criminals and moving them from parish to parish.

Mahony purposely omitted information and mislead law enforcement officials for years.

Cardinal Roger Mahony Deposition 

Los Angeles Archbishop Roger Mahony kept altar boy list from police: 

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!  Time to clean the Church.

Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to the many, many devoted, holy men and women religious who must also endure this horrific scandal and may be unjustly humiliated. We pray for good and courageous bishops, priests, and others who will speak the truth for the love of all souls. Special prayers to all the survivors of sexual abuse, especially those abused by members of the clergy. May our united action and prayers bring justice, healing, and trust back to our Catholic Church.