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CNN Live At Daybreak
California Bishops Read Letter Regarding Abuse Claims
Aired December 09, 2002 - 05:50 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And a dire warning for California parishioners about priests, sex and money. Bishops read a letter during Sunday services warning a new state law could open the door to a new wave of new lawsuits.
CNN's Anne McDermott has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNE MCDERMOTT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was the 1970s and Manny Vega of Oxnard, California was proud to be an altar boy, until, he says, the priest began fondling some of the altar boys, began raping some of the altar boys.
MANUEL VEGA, ALLEGED PRIEST ABUSE VICTIM: He was a big brother to us and he would molest us and then he would go out and consecrate the host, say Mass, take confession. I mean how disgusting can that be?
MCDERMOTT: Vega, now an Oxnard cop, says it took him years to come to terms with the abuse. But by then the statute of limitations had run out. Until Vega testified before the California legislature, helping to pass a law allowing molestation victims a second chance at filing civil suits throughout the year 2003.
(on camera): Why did you want the right to sue?
VEGA: There has to be consequences.
MCDERMOTT (voice-over): The Catholic Church is apparently very aware of the possible consequences of even more lawsuits and at masses throughout the state, parishioners received a letter from California's bishops which stated that the church has been falsely portrayed as a corporation with deep pockets.
Cardinal Roger Mahony read the letter at the Los Angeles Cathedral.
CARDINAL ROGER MAHONY, LOS ANGELES: In reality, the vast majority of Catholic assets belong to the people of our parishes, schools, charities and other institutions.
MCDERMOTT: A lawyer who represents more than 100 alleged priest abuse victims interprets the letter this way.
RAYMOND BOUCHER, ATTORNEY FOR ALLEGED ABUSE VICTIMS: I think it's an attempt by the church to guilt parishioners who are and were victims of this molestation into not coming forward.
MCDERMOTT: Not so, says the bishops' letter. They will continue to respond to the needs of the victims of abuse, which is as it should be, according to many Catholics.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm ashamed and I'm disappointed at the way they've handled it, to be honest.
MCDERMOTT: But others are worried, will there be many more suits?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And you do wonder are there opportunists.
MCDERMOTT: Manny Vega wants to respond to that one.
VEGA: I mean it's not about the money. It's about making things right.
MCDERMOTT: And it's about justice, he says, for the boy he used to be.
Anne McDermott, CNN, Oxnard, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 9, 2002 - 05:50 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And a dire warning for California parishioners about priests, sex and money. Bishops read a letter during Sunday services warning a new state law could open the door to a new wave of new lawsuits.
CNN's Anne McDermott has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNE MCDERMOTT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was the 1970s and Manny Vega of Oxnard, California was proud to be an altar boy, until, he says, the priest began fondling some of the altar boys, began raping some of the altar boys.
MANUEL VEGA, ALLEGED PRIEST ABUSE VICTIM: He was a big brother to us and he would molest us and then he would go out and consecrate the host, say Mass, take confession. I mean how disgusting can that be?
MCDERMOTT: Vega, now an Oxnard cop, says it took him years to come to terms with the abuse. But by then the statute of limitations had run out. Until Vega testified before the California legislature, helping to pass a law allowing molestation victims a second chance at filing civil suits throughout the year 2003.
(on camera): Why did you want the right to sue?
VEGA: There has to be consequences.
MCDERMOTT (voice-over): The Catholic Church is apparently very aware of the possible consequences of even more lawsuits and at masses throughout the state, parishioners received a letter from California's bishops which stated that the church has been falsely portrayed as a corporation with deep pockets.
Cardinal Roger Mahony read the letter at the Los Angeles Cathedral.
CARDINAL ROGER MAHONY, LOS ANGELES: In reality, the vast majority of Catholic assets belong to the people of our parishes, schools, charities and other institutions.
MCDERMOTT: A lawyer who represents more than 100 alleged priest abuse victims interprets the letter this way.
RAYMOND BOUCHER, ATTORNEY FOR ALLEGED ABUSE VICTIMS: I think it's an attempt by the church to guilt parishioners who are and were victims of this molestation into not coming forward.
MCDERMOTT: Not so, says the bishops' letter. They will continue to respond to the needs of the victims of abuse, which is as it should be, according to many Catholics.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm ashamed and I'm disappointed at the way they've handled it, to be honest.
MCDERMOTT: But others are worried, will there be many more suits?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And you do wonder are there opportunists.
MCDERMOTT: Manny Vega wants to respond to that one.
VEGA: I mean it's not about the money. It's about making things right.
MCDERMOTT: And it's about justice, he says, for the boy he used to be.
Anne McDermott, CNN, Oxnard, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
