Press TV
July 16, 2007
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=16581§ionid=3510203
The Roman Catholic Church in Los Angeles has apologized to people abused by priests in the last 70 years confirming compensation deals.
Just before reaching the pay-out deal worth $660 million with the 508 sex victims, Cardinal Roger Mahony, the church leader, issued an apology and confirmed the compensation deal, BBC reported.
"Once again, I apologize to anyone who has been offended, who has been abused. It should not have happened, and it will not happen again. I have come to understand far more deeply than I ever could the impact of this terrible sin and crime that has affected their lives," Cardinal told a news conference.
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The deal was reached just before a series of trials into sex claims dating back to the 1940s were to begin. The deal will be finalized by attorneys for both sides who will appear in court on Monday.
Since 2002, nearly 1,000 people have filed such claims against the Roman Catholic Church in California alone.
In February 2004, a report commissioned by the Church said more than 4,000 Roman Catholic priests in the US had faced sexual abuse allegations in the last 50 years.
Los Angeles diocese records previously released, revealed that for decades priests accused of child sex abuse were simply moved to new assignments or provided with therapy as Church leaders believed they could be rehabilitated.
If the agreement is approved by a judge, all 15 upcoming pedophilia trials against Los Angeles archdiocese will be settled and Cardinal Mahony is no longer forced to testify about how the Church dealt with abuses spanning the 1940s to 1990s.
David Clohessy, national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said while it was the largest settlement by the Church, money was not the key objective for victims.
"No settlement, no amount of money, can restore the shattered trust and the stolen childhoods and the betrayed faith of people who were wounded by abusive priests and by complicit bishops," he said.
"But, having said that, certainly this represents a tremendous achievement by these brave survivors, who somehow found the strength to come forward, report the crimes, get legal help, expose the predators and ultimately endure a pretty long, grueling legal process."
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