Cardinal Apologizes to Abuse Victims - U.S. - CBN News

Cardinal Apologizes to Abuse Victims
By John Jessup
CBN News
July 16, 2007

CBNNews.com - WASHINGTON - The leader of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Cardinal Robert Mahony, has issued an apology to the more than 500 victims of clergy abuse.

The alleged victims are to be awarded a $660 million -the largest settlement ever in a Catholic clergy sex abuse scandal.


The deal becomes official today when a judge signs off on the settlement.

"I apologize to anyone who has been offended, who has been abused by priests, deacons, and lay people. It should not have happened and it will not happen again," Mahony said.

For some of the 500 or so victims involved, the payout only provides minimal comfort.

"It just means that I will be able to pay for some of the treatments I should have gotten long ago," said a tearful Esther Miller, an abuse survivor.

In his apology, issued Sunday, Mahoney acknowledged there was no way to give victims back their innocence.

"We have not just spent our time trying to resolve these lawsuits but rather trying to make sure that the church is safe for everyone," he said.

The settlement is by far the largest payout since the clergy abuse scandal that surfaced in 2002. Since then, $157 million has been paid to victims in parishes in Boston and $129 million in Portland.

The agreement was announced one day before about a dozen civil trials were scheduled to begin and allows Mahony to avoid testifying in court with allegations of a cover up.

"Sadly, we believe that money isn't really the issue for the L.A. Archdiocese," abuse survivor Mary Grant said. "It's the secrets and it's the reputation of the church."

Some Los Angeles parishioners at Sunday mass said they believe the settlement means it's time to move on.

"I think that the cardinal and the church have appropriately addressed the issue," said one parishioner.

But many victims, scarred by painful memories of the past, say this is only the beginning of their journey to healing.

Anthony Almeida, another abuse survivor, said, "I pushed him away, but I was too small. So today I could fight and I won today."

Hiccup...Hiccup... Were do I sign again??? And make sure you do not ask me to testify in court, HICCUP, the tend to have sessions right in the middle of happy hour... Hiccup, and also I don't what to talk, Hiccup about it!

What God Thinks?

1 Timothy 4 (Bible)

1-Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

2-Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

3-Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

Deuteronomy 27

15 -"Cursed is the man who carves an image or casts an idol—a thing detestable to the LORD, the work of the craftsman's hands—and sets it up in secret."
Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"

What Nacho Thinks?

Most pedophiles like to be close to children, and if they are in a position of power over them they can control and influence these innocent souls into their lustfull Lair of wicked thoughts and actions that can enslave a child for the rest of his life. God has no tolerance for the man or the woman that abuses an inocent child , the word of God says that it is better to suicide than to make one innocent child stumble (to my knowledge this is the only time in the Bible were God recomends suicide):

Mark chapter 9

42-"And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck. 43-If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. 45-And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. 47-And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48-where
" 'their worm does not die,
and the fire is not quenched.'


MONEY IS NOT GOING TO BRING BACK THE INNOCENCE THAT WAS STOLEN .
WHAT KIND OF MESSEGE IS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH GIVING TO THE WORLD?
THAT IF YOU HAVE MONEY YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR YOUR SINS, OR LEAST THAT YOU DO NOT NEED TO FACE A JURY?
IS THIS ANOTHER KIND OF FALSE PURGATORY TEACHING?

THIS IS ONE OF THE ACTS THAT INFLAMES THE WRATH OF GOD AGAINST YOU BABYLON, YOU HAVE PROVEN ONCE MORE THAT YOU ARE A RELIGOUS WHORE, THAT YOU CARE MORE FOR YOUR REPUTATION THAN THE LIVES OF ALL THOSE INNOCENT CHILDREN AND OF ALL THE MILLIONS OF TRUE BELIEVERS THAT YOU HAVE SLAUGHTERED USING YOUR DIABOLICAL WITCHCRAFT METHODS SINCE YOUR BIRTH IN ROME . YOU HAVE ENSLAVED THE SOULS OF BILLIONS, WOE ONTO YOU. YOU PERVERSE TEMPLE OF SATAN, YOU HAVE BEEN JUDGED AND THE SENTENCE WILL BE CARRIED OUT BY YOUR VERY OWN MERCHANTS THAT YOU HAVE FORNICATED WITH. YOU HAVE DRANK THE BLOOD OF THE SAINTS AND SHARED YOUR THRONE WITH LUCIFER. YOU HAVE MADE A MOCKERY OF THE TRUE SON OF GOD BECAUSE OF YOUR ENVY. WOE ONTO YOU, YOU EVIL EMPIRE OF DOOM. YOUR END IS AT HAND.

Revelation 18

1-And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

2-And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

3For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

4-And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

5-For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

6-Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.

7-How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

8-Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

9-And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,

10-Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

11-And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

12-The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,

13-And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.

14-And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.

15-The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,

16-And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!

17-For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,

18-And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!

19-And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

20-Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.

21-And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

22-And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;

23-And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

24-And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.