Disgraced US cardinal who helped protect pedophile priests will close Pope Francis casket: Shame on him

A disgraced US cardinal who was barred from public ministry for his role in covering up a clerical child sex abuse scandal was chosen to help seal Pope Francis’ casket and entomb his remains for his burial.Cardinal Roger Mahony, 89, the retired Archbishop of Los Angeles, is one of nine cardinals and dozens of other clergymen who will play a ceremonial role in closing the late pope’s coffin Friday ahead of the pontiff’s funeral Saturday morning in St.Peter’s Square, the Vatican announced Wednesday.Mahony, who was stripped of his administrative and public duties in January 2013, will also help oversee the pope’s interment at Rome’s Basilica of Saint Mary Major following the funeral.

“Shame on him for participating in the public rite for Pope Francis, and shame on the College of Cardinals for allowing him to do so,” said Anne Barrett Doyle, a member of the Bishop Accountability group, which has tracked Catholic clergy abuse for decades.A Vatican spokesperson said Thursday that Mahony was chosen based on his seniority as a cardinal.Mahony, who retired in 2011 after leading the LA archdiocese for 25 years, was relieved of public duties by his successor, Archbishop Jose Gomez, after thousands of confidential church files showed the cardinal worked behind the scenes to shield many pedophile priests and protect the church from scandal.In one case, Mahony kept now-defrocked priest Michael Baker in circulation after the cleric confessed in 1986 to molesting two boys over a nearly seven-year period.Mahony sent the priest for psychological treatment — with Baker returning a year later and advised him not to spend time with minors, the files showed.Despite several documented instances of being alone with boys, Baker wasn’t removed from ministry until 2000 after serving in nine parishes.

The priest was later convicted of child molestation in 2007.That year, the archdiocese settled more than 500 clergy abuse lawsuits for a record-breaking $660 million.Mahony,...