A Glimpse at the Mind of a Bishop

By Diogenes ( articles ) | May 11, 2005

"A Glimpse at the Mind of a Pedophile" reads the Los Angeles Times story on former Diocese of Stockton priest Oliver O'Grady. The article is accompanied by video excerpts of O'Grady's deposition last March, in which he speaks in explicit terms -- I don't say "candid terms" -- about his disorder. Most chilling is his lack of remorse, which weirdly takes on the proud and pleased air of a collector displaying his collection.

The dark workings of O'Grady's diseased mind may remain impenetrable. But how do we explain the mind of the man who returns him to parish ministry?

After police declined to file charges, [then-Bishop of Stockton Roger] Mahony transferred O'Grady to a rural parish and later promoted him to pastor there, where he allegedly molested three more victims ... according to plaintiffs' lawyers. Mahony has said he was unaware of any molestation reports.

The technical term for this kind of memory lapse is "rebuilding trust."