PHILADELPHIA (PA)
The Wall Street Journal
By PETER LOFTUS
PHILADELPHIA—A former high-ranking Roman Catholic Church official placed the church’s reputation above children’s safety by concealing allegations that priests sexually abused minors, said a Philadelphia prosecutor at the start of a landmark criminal trial Monday.
“He paid lip service to children’s protection,” Assistant District Attorney Jacqueline Coelho said in an opening statement of a trial that could last for several months. “His concerted effort was to protect the church from scandal.”
Msgr. William Lynn is the highest-ranking member of the U.S. Catholic hierarchy to have his case reach trial on charges related to coverup allegations. He served as secretary for clergy in the Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia from 1992 to 2004, a job that included handling allegations of sexual abuse by priests. He is charged with conspiracy and endangering the welfare of children and has pleaded not guilty.
Ms. Coelho said Msgr. Lynn was aware of allegations of sexual abuse or inappropriate behavior with minors that had been lodged against several priests, but he failed to keep two of those priests out of assignments that involved contact with children; the two priests allegedly went on to sexually abuse two boys in separate incidents in the 1990s.
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