Letters: Not much forgiveness for Mahony

Re “Mahony’s high-tech pulpit,” Feb. 27

It’s really hard to understand why Catholics would accept any pope elected with the help of Cardinal Roger M. Mahony’s vote.

Here is a man who was in charge of channeling the Holy Spirit when he handled the sex abuse cases in the L.A. archdiocese.

In insisting on attending the papal conclave, isn’t Mahony claiming the ability to discern the Holy Spirit’s intentions for the next successor to St. Peter?

That’s unbelievable.

Kathi Smith
Ojai

Mahony saying that he prays to God to forgive those who are angry over his handling of the sex abuse scandal shows that he believes it to be a sin to be angry at his actions.

I wonder if it’s only the lay people beneath him who are sinning by doing so, or if he considered the archbishop to be sinning as well in rebuking him?

Perhaps instead of playing on Twitter and wasting the church’s money on a professional crisis management firm, his time, money and efforts would be better spent trying to help those who were wronged by his actions.

Daniel Duarte
Torrance

We are disgusted by the decades of criminal behavior on the part of the Roman Catholic Church, and perhaps even more so by the coverup.

The reaction of America has been appropriate but relatively tame — thus far.

However, can you imagine the reaction in America if the leadership of a non-Christian faith (with a significant presence here) was found to be guilty of decades of predatory behavior and a massive coverup of the same?

The situation would likely have become violent long ago.

Michael Barton
Huntington Beach

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