Judge blocks release of Cardinal Bevilacqua’s 2003 grand jury testimony

July 26, 2011

A Pennsylvania judge has blocked the release of Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua’s 2003 grand jury testimony on clerical abuse in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Prosecutors who charged Msgr. William Lynn, the cardinal’s vicar for clergy, with endangering the welfare of children included the cardinal’s testimony in a July 22 court filing.

The cardinal served as Archbishop of Philadelphia from 1988 to 2003.

Examining the grand jury testimony a day before the judge’s ruling, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Cardinal Bevilacqua was asked about his deference to the judgment of psychiatrists in reassigning priests who had committed abuse.

Somebody who is vested with the responsibility that you had in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, your educational background, your experience, your obvious intelligence, is it your testimony that you take a diagnosis from an expert that says that [an accused priest] has no or there's little, minimal risk of relapse, and that you just accept that blindly?"

“When it comes to medical professional people,” Cardinal Bevilacqua replied, “we generally do. I mean, how can I countermand that? How can I question that?”

 

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Further information:

• Prosecutor grilled, Bevilacqua deflected, grand jury testimony from 2003 shows (Philadelphia Inquirer)
• Judge halts release of cardinal's secret testimony (AP)