Anger over clergy abuse

Re “A cardinal’s sin: compromise,” Opinion, Dec. 5

Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony and the other Catholic bishops have failed miserably to come clean on their complicity in and subsequent attempted coverup of the priest abuse scandal. As Jeffrey Anderson points out, we Catholics don’t have any stock we can sell in the enterprise of the church, and we have no vote or voice in the direction we want our church to take. We are, after all, in the minds of our shepherds, mere sheep. Perhaps that explains the deafening silence and the absence of moral outrage on the part of the faithful.

Feeling powerless at this point to bring about any real change in the church, I have reluctantly chosen to take the only course of action I can -- I have voted with my feet. If Catholics en masse would do the same, there might be hope for a new reformation of the church. The question is, where is the Martin Luther of our time?

BILL CRANHAM

La Quinta

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Would someone help me understand what power Mahony has over law enforcement and church officials? Is it fear of divine retribution that prevents these institutions from removing this co-conspirator from public life, in exchange for a quiet cell where he can meditate on his crimes against young humanity? The sooner that dour, smug, spiritless face of his is out of the public eye, the better.

DAVID WEISS

Tarzana