Cardinal apologises to clergy sex abuse victims

Cardinal Roger Mahony, leader of America’s largest Roman Catholic archdiocese, apologised today to the hundreds of people who will get a share of a £330 million settlement over allegations of clergy sex abuse.

“There really is no way to go back and give them that innocence that was taken from them. The one thing I wish I could give the victims ... I cannot,” he said.

“Once again, I apologise to anyone who has been offended, who has been abused. It should not have happened, and it will not happen again.”

The leader of the Los Angeles archdiocese said he has met in the past 14 months with dozens of people alleging clergy abuse and those meetings helped him understand the importance of a quick resolution to the lawsuits.

The settlement will not affect the archdiocese’s core ministry, Mahony said, but the church will have to sell buildings, use some of its invested funds and borrow money.

The archdiocese will not sell any parish property, he said.