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Priest Accused of 1999 Sex Scandal Finally Removed

Reverend Martin P. O’Loghlen, a priest accused in 1999 of having a sexual relationship with a teenage girl, has recently been removed from his parish in Los Angeles. The vicar of clergy, Msgr. Michael Myers, also announced his resignation.

After having been contacted multiple times by Reverend O’Loghlen, Julie Malcolm filed a lawsuit against the priest and his religious order, the Congregation of Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and received a settlement of $100,000. Nevertheless, despite its knowledge of Reverend O’Loghlen’s sexual addiction and the abuse, the Los Angeles archdiocese did not remove O’Loghlen and allowed him served on a sexual abuse advisory board of the archdiocese.

Cardinal Mahony told the California Catholic Daily, “The failure to fully check records before granting priestly faculties is a violation of archdiocesan policy. We owe it to victims and to all our faithful to make absolutely certain that all of our child protection policies and procedures are scrupulously followed.” Four years ago the Los Angeles archdiocese paid $660 million in a settlement to 508 people claiming to have been sexually abused by priests as children.

Sources:

California Catholic Daily 2/14/11; Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests Statement 2/12/11; New York Times 2/12/11

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