By Junno Arocho
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, JULY 25, 2012 (Zenit.org).-The Archdiocese of Philadelphia released a statement regarding Monsignor William Lynn, who was sentenced to three to six years in prison for child endangerment.
Monsignor Lynn was convicted last month for covering up the sexual abuse of an altar boy perpetrated by Edward Avery, a former priest who has been laicized. The monsignor was accused of covering the crime by transferring Avery to another parish. After reassignment, Avery sexually abused another young boy.
During the sentencing hearing, Monsignor Lynn told the judge that he did his best in handling cases of sexual abuse while serving as secretary of clergy for the archdiocese. “I did not intend any harm to come to [the boy]. The fact is, my best was not good enough to stop that harm,” he told the judge.
The archdiocese responded to the sentencing with this statement: “This year and even this week, Pennsylvania has been the epicenter of this issue, and we know there is legitimate anger in the broad community toward any incident or enabling of sexual abuse. The trial of the past several months has been especially difficult for victims, and we profoundly regret their pain.”
“The public humiliation of the Church has emphasized the vital lesson that we must be constantly vigilant in our charge to protect the children in our parishes and schools,” the statement continued. “Since the events some 10 years ago that were at the center of this trial, the Archdiocese has changed. We have taken dramatic steps to ensure that all young people in our care are safe, and these efforts will continue even more forcefully now and in the years ahead.”
Although acknowledging the full gravity of sexual abuse, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia expressed concern over Monsignor Lynn’s punishment. “Fair-minded people will question the severity of the heavy, three to six year sentence imposed on Monsignor Lynn today,” the statement concluded. “We hope that when this punishment is objectively reviewed, it will be adjusted.”
