And don't forget: bad record-keeping, too!

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Dec 10, 2004

When Cardinal Mahony told a jury that he had faced only one sex-abuse case during his years as Bishop of Stockton, he neglected to mention that he had confronted two other priests accused of similar misconduct.

He ordered those two priests to leave the country.

So why didn't he tell the jury about them?

The cardinal now says he forgot.

Remarkable. I've never ordered anyone to leave the country, so I can't testify from experience. But you'd think it would make for a memorable occasion. Still, a cardinal's life is a busy one. The LA Times reports:

In the deposition, Mahony said he was not trying to mislead the jury. He blamed earthquakes, the Los Angeles riots and a 1987 papal visit for his bad memory.