Pain and healing in the Catholic Church

Re “Study Reveals Vast Scope of Priest Abuse,” Oct. 13

If any institution other than the Catholic Church experienced a scandal anywhere near the magnitude of this one, that institution would go belly up. And if anyone other than a cardinal attempted to block justice the way Roger Mahony has, that person would long since have been imprisoned. The entire scandal is but one manifestation of the undeserved privileged status that religion enjoys in our society.

The only upside to all this is that, just possibly, the American public may finally begin to realize that religion and morality are not two sides of the same coin.

JON NELSON

Panorama City

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Re “Disturbing revelations,” editorial, Oct. 13

It is imperative that Cardinal Mahony be completely open in his disclosures to the people of the archdiocese. As you stated, a sanitized and piecemeal release of documents is unacceptable.

Only with full disclosure will people understand the full extent of the problem. When that happens, healing can commence, and the road to reconciliation within the church will be set in motion. It’s up to the cardinal.

DEIRDRE SMITH

President, Voice of the Faithful

Southern Los Angeles Area

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Re “Abuse Victims Still Suffer Decades Later,” Oct. 16

Nothing will ever mitigate the harm and damage that was wrought upon victims in the church abuse scandal. However, as sympathetic as I am to the sufferings of the victims of Father Clinton Hagenbach, your feature did little to advance the plight of abuse victims, and it only left the impression that The Times is “piling on” the church. Many people have now come to associate the words “Catholic priest” with “sex abuse,” even though an Associated Press survey found that only two-thirds of 1% of all contemporary priests have charges pending against them.

DAVE PIERRE

Downey

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The L.A. Times is to be commended for its extensive coverage of Steve Sanchez’s story about the sexual abuse he suffered as a young boy.

Sanchez should be praised for his courage for allowing his story to be told publicly.

Sadly, there are thousands of Steve Sanchezes who have suffered the childhood trauma of sexual molestation.

MARIE PIETRASANTA

Encino