LOS ANGELES (CA)
Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony, in Rome for the selection of Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina as the new pope, praised the choice but also defended his record on handling priest abuse cases.
Mahony spoke as many Los Angeles Catholics rejoiced at the selection of the first pope from Latin America.
He said he thought it marked a historic change.
“This is unimaginable,” Mahony said in an interview with KCBS. “The impact this is going to have, particularly, of course, in Latin America. It’s the first time we ever had a Southern Hemisphere pope. It’s just extraordinary.”
Records released earlier this year showed that Mahony and other church officials plotted to hide priests who abused children from police in the 1980s. Some critics had urged Mahony not to go to Rome to help select a pope.
Mahony defended his record in the KCBS interview. “Much of the criticism comes from ignorance of not knowing what has happened, and the extraordinary efforts we have taken. We have passed every compliance audit with flying colors,” he told the station.
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