Los Angeles, Calif., Jul 16, 2007 / 07:45 am
Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles apologized Sunday to the hundreds of the plaintiffs involved in the recent settlement over allegations of 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 apologize to anyone who has been offended, who has been abused. It should not have happened, and it will not happen again."
More than 500 alleged victims of clergy sexual abuse will get a share of a $660-million settlement reached late Saturday, reported The Associated Press. This is by far the largest payout since the nationwide clergy abuse scandal emerged in 2002 in Boston.