LOS ANGELES (AP) - A 2004 report by Roman Catholic Cardinal Roger Mahony failed to disclose that he let seven priests continue in ministry for as long as 13 years after they had been accused of inappropriate behavior with children, a newspaper reported Thursday.
Mahony acknowledged in the report that he left five priests in ministry after accusations they molested children, but the seven others were not mentioned, the Los Angeles Times said.
The Times analyzed edited summaries of personnel records that the archdiocese posted on a public Web site in October. The archdiocese turned over the documents to lawyers for about 500 people who are suing over accusations of abuse by priests.
One summary said the Rev. Richard Henry was the subject of four complaints of improper behavior in 1980 and 1991, including one that said the priest "grabs little boys and hugs them."
Mahony's 2004 report only mentioned that Henry was removed from active duty in 1991, after he pleaded no contest to four counts of lewd conduct with a child under 14.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060420/D8H3TUKG0.html