A Monsignor Is Convicted for Sexual-Abuse Cover-Up
Friday saw the first criminal conviction of an officer of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States for covering up the sexual abuse of children. Monsignor William J. Lynn was found guilty of endangering boys by letting a known pedophile continue to minister to children, a pass that enabled that priest to assault a 10-year-old boy.
Friday saw the first criminal conviction of an officer of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States for covering up the sexual abuse of children. Monsignor William J. Lynn was found guilty of endangering boys by letting a known pedophile continue to minister to children, a pass that enabled that priest to assault a 10-year-old boy.
Lynn could be behind bars for up to seven years.
— Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly
Your support is crucial...The New York Times:
The 12-member jury deadlocked on two other counts against Monsignor Lynn after a three-month trial that was widely considered a milestone in the sexual abuse scandals that have shaken the Catholic church.
Still, the trial has already sent a sobering message to church officials and others overseeing children around the country.
“I think that bishops and chancery officials understand that they will no longer get a pass on these types of crimes,” said Nicholas P. Cafardi, a professor of law at Duquesne University, a canon lawyer and frequent church adviser. “Priests who sexually abuse youngsters and the chancery officials who enabled it by allowing a known sexual abuser to remain in ministry can expect criminal prosecution.” The mixed verdict was seen as a victory for the district attorney’s office in Philadelphia, which has been investigating the archdiocese aggressively since 2002. Monsignor Lynn could face a prison term of three-and-a-half to seven years.
As we navigate an uncertain 2025, with a new administration questioning press freedoms, the risks are clear: our ability to report freely is under threat.
Your tax-deductible donation enables us to dig deeper, delivering fearless investigative reporting and analysis that exposes the reality beneath the headlines — without compromise.
Now is the time to take action. Stand with our courageous journalists. Donate today to protect a free press, uphold democracy and uncover the stories that need to be told.
TD Original
A sex scandal involving its most admired celebrity is shaking France to its core.
Film
“Sugarcane” tells the story of what kept a people together, despite a systematic effort to alienate them.
The papal dodge disappoints progressives and liberal Catholic women's groups while reassuring conservatives.
As voters prepare to choose a new parliament on Saturday, polls show surprising support for the party historically linked to the IRA.
Attorneys for about a dozen claimants allege hundreds of confidential emails show the New Orleans team was involved far more than it admits.
U.S. dioceses have begun releasing the names of the accused, but these lists are inconsistent, incomplete and often omit key details.
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.