Tuesday, May 29, 2012

On final day of testimony, Philadelphia monsignor apologizes for priest’s sex assault

On final day of testimony, Philadelphia monsignor apologizes for priest’s sex assault

By Associated Press Tuesday, May 29, 2012

PHILADELPHIA — A Roman Catholic church official apologized to a priest sex-abuse victim on the final day of testimony in his groundbreaking child-endangerment trial....

Lynn, 61, who served as the Philadelphia archdiocese secretary for clergy from 1992 to 2004, is the first U.S. church official charged over his handling of priest-abuse complaints. He and the Rev. James Brennan have been on trial for 10 weeks.

Brennan has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting a teen in 1996. Defrocked priest Edward Avery pleaded guilty to a 1999 sexual assault days before trial and is in prison.

Lynn testified that he tried to get accused priests out of parishes and into treatment, but said his power was limited because Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua had the final say....

Lynn said that Bevilacqua would not permanently remove a priest unless he was a diagnosed pedophile. That was rare among the dozens of priests accused of raping or molesting children in Philadelphia.

Defense lawyers call the mild-mannered Lynn a scapegoat for the alleged failings of the archdiocese.http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/on-final-day-of-testimony-philadelphia-monsignor-apologizes-for-priests-sex-assault/2012/05/29/gJQAHsmL0U_story.html

No comments: