Cardinal Ordered Memo on Priests Destroyed, Covering Up Sex Abuse

A Philadelphia archdiocese official on trial for allegedly covering up the sexual abuse of children has asked a court to throw out charges against him based on a 1994 memo showing Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua ordered a list of suspected abusive Catholic priests to be destroyed.

As revealed in court papers filed on Friday, Molloy’s handwritten memo dated March 22, 1994, informed Bevilacqua that the secret list of 35 priests had been shredded per his instructions.

Bevilacqua, who died on January 31, testified 10 times before grand juries in 2003 and 2004. A final grand jury report said it had no doubt that the cardinal knew about the danger posed by the accused priests and that his actions endangered thousands of children in the archdiocese.

“It should not be surprising to learn documents about child abusing priests were destroyed,” said Marci Hamilton, an attorney who has represented victims in many clergy sex abuse cases, including suits against the Philadelphia archdiocese. “That is consistent with the pervasive pattern of secrecy and the rule against scandal.”

“I was just following orders,” has been proven over and over again to be a useless and disgusting attempt at an excuse.

I don’t care if the Pope himself had told this man to destroy the memo and therefore cover up the sexual abuse of children, this man had the absolute responsibility to protect these children and failed.

(Source: CNN)