Settlement won’t erase wrongs

Re “$660-million settlement in priest abuses,” July 15

As a 77-year-old cradle Catholic, I am horrified and angered to tears at the hypocrisy and enormity of the sexual abuse that took place in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles over the last 70 years: 570 victims abused by 221 priests. These same priests would tell penitents in confession that impure thoughts, masturbation and birth control were mortal sins. These same priests would daily say Mass and receive Communion. Our priests preached purity and love yet practiced carnality and betrayal. How can we believe anything our prelates and priests tell us in the future?

Cardinal Roger M. Mahony and the Judases he protected have betrayed Christ and our once beautiful Catholic Church.

JERRY MAZENKO

Garden Grove

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Mahony is under the delusion that money covers up the sins of priestly officials. Those who suffered this shameful abuse under the guise of religion will never be the same. I also suffered under a priest in Los Angeles. This man was a monster who beat children for the thrill of hearing them cry. I will never forgive and forget. I can only wish the survivors well and hope for their continued safety. But they should never fail to warn others about these terrible events.

As for me, an agnostic who will never be caught in the perfidious hands of Christianity again, I couldn’t care less where Mahony goes -- except perhaps to a prison cell -- for his knowledge and tacit approval of such behaviors inflicted on those who could defend themselves the least.

M.J. FLEMING II

Riverside

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Mahony’s recent abuse settlement was made not out of contrition but rather so he could continue stonewalling numerous court orders to turn over church records showing his involvement in protecting molesting priests. Not only do we have a president and vice president above the law, we now find out that Mahony and the Catholic Church are as well.

STEVE BLACKWELDER

Dana Point

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I am a Catholic in Los Angeles. I attend Mass regularly, and I give modestly to my local parish. I deplore all unfaithful priests and the actions that have caused so much pain. I empathize with the victims, and I pray for them to find peace. But I wonder how much good the attorneys have accomplished by cashing in on the church. To think that this much money has been siphoned away from the good missions of the church should set any person of faith aback.

I can only speculate how many parishes, schools and services must now be closed in order to pay this debt. I hope that the attorneys involved in this settlement fund equally deserving causes.

CHRISTOPHER MCCAULEY

Redondo Beach

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Now that the church is about to pay for its sins, isn’t it time for the leader who lied, stonewalled and perpetuated the molestations to go? If Mahony were a decent man, he’d resign. I guess that means he’ll stick around.

JACK BAILEY

Studio City