LOS ANGELES (CA)
Catholic Online
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) – The priest in question, Nicolas Aguilar Rivera, was accused in the sexual abuse of 26 altar boys. Detectives eventually got the names of the boys from parish families. According to the priest’s confidential archdiocese file and police records since made public by attorneys for the victims, 25 of the alleged victims were altar boys. The 26th was training with the priest to be one.
Plaintiff Attorney Anthony DeMarco says it’s not clear what impact Mahony’s action had on the investigation, although at the time police complained that the archdiocese wasn’t fully cooperating.
Mahony’s deposition has been released and is part of the evidence included in a settlement of abuse claims against Aguilar Rivera and four other priests. The archdiocese, the nation’s largest, agreed to pay $13 million to 17 victims.
The archdiocese, since 2006 has paid more than $700 million to settle clergy abuse lawsuits by hundreds of victims. Internal church files kept on priests accused of abuse were released last year under court order. Mahony, elevated to cardinal and retired in 2011, was shown to have maneuvered behind the scenes with his top aide, Monsignor Thomas Curry, to shield molester priests, provide damage control for the church and keep parishioners unaware.
Prosecutors say the cases fell outside the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution of any church officials.
J. Michael Hennigan, an attorney with the archdiocese, said Mahony didn’t reveal a list of altar boys, also called altar servers, to police because he didn’t believe any of the alleged victims were among them. Mahony is in Rome and was unavailable for comment, Hennigan said.
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