A retired Los Angeles cardinal accused of mismanaging a child sex abuse crisis has been stripped of all administrative and public duties by his successor.

The Los Angeles archdiocese, the largest in the US, has released thousands of pages of files on priests accused of child molestation.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21289854

This is an incredible development. Cardinal Mahoney seemed to have been protected from on high, especially given his connection to the Order of Malta, which Mahoney discusses in an interview here:

http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/interview-cardinal-roger-mahony-los-angeles

Mahoney was the "principle celebrant" of at least one Order of Malta mass in the LA cathedral, noted here:

http://the-tidings.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2138:work-is-a-sacred-thing&catid=101:viewpoints&Itemid=389

One of Mahoney's five lawyers tasked with handling the LA Diocese unfolding abuse crisis is a member of the Knights of Malta, according to BishopAccountability.org, which released the leaked emails between Mahoney and his lawyers here:
http://www.bishop-accountability.org/ca-la/AmazingConnections.html

So therefore, for the new bishop to kick Mahoney to the curb in such a public way? That seems like a pretty big deal to me.

Cant

Right, Cant - this is incredible.

Part of me wants to be cynical and say it's not enough, but in the world we live in Mahoney's censure feels huge.

It seems that no matter how I try to separate my own experience from recent news... I take this, and the Boy Scouts, and Penn State, and so on, and so on, very personally.

Last night I had another night with nightmares of powerlessness, and as I woke my partner relayed the news of Gomez's action to me. I've been following the LA Times for weeks. Of course I started to cry.

The man who fucked with me is long dead. I can never confront him or see him punished. Although my experience of abuse was in no way related to the church, this feels symbolic to me, and it gives me something to hang on to.

Having something matter-or-fact and rational take place in this crazy maelstrom of emotion and reaction - like an institutional acknowledgment of wrong-doing and (even mild) punishment of a leader - gives me hope that I can find reason in my own circumstances.

I think it's been good for us lately. Not awesome, but better than it was 10, 20, and 30 years ago. Perpetrators are being brought down, and crimes are being punished.

The problem is, I am pretty confused. Still, after six years of trying to recover, I'm confused. If I hate my dad, is this enough? If I let go of my hate, is this giving up, or is it moving on? Did I deserve what he did? Even more complicated - did I kill him? Did I not give enough to make my family work right?

These are all victim issues that we all have to deal with, in one way and another. They don't rule my life all the time anymore, as they used to. But good lord, when I am faced with them again, I become powerless all over.

Damn. Why did that bastard rape me for years, ignore me when he didn't need me, and then leave me with this crap to figure out?

Nahr. Thanks for listening.

Geoff

Basically, Mahony and Curry are still fully vested, endorsed, and financially supported for life. The only change is, neither has to work another day of his life; that's what "relieved of public and administrative duties" boils down to.

Both can function within all of the authority of their power within the Catholic church.

The letter read at masses this weekend is, in essence, a "brace yourself, folks" notice to parishioners as to what is about to be revealed.

On a related matter, we are reminded this time of year, "Be sure to donate to the priest retirement fund."

It makes me ill to think about how the church and its leadership allowed for this to continue to happen after they were well aware of the magnitude of the problem. It is extremely difficult to remain faithful while all of this is playing out in the media.

I understand the dilemma of the faithful because I was born into a pentecostal/evangelical family where this type of thing was also going on. Only difference is, the religious leader that raped and tortured me was my literal "father," and he used the cloak of the church and Christian teachings to protect himself and continue his pedophilia.

For the greater part of my life, my faith that God would some day..some time..some how...some way.. show up and rescue me was my only reason to keep trying to merely exist each day.