Scandal Erupts: Disgraced US Cardinal Tapped to Seal Pope Francis’ Coffin

A cardinal once disgraced for protecting pedophile priests is now being honored with a starring role at Pope Francis’ funeral — and critics are furious.

The Vatican announced that Cardinal Roger Mahony, 89, the retired Archbishop of Los Angeles, will help seal the late pontiff’s coffin Friday night at St. Peter’s Basilica. He’ll also oversee part of the burial at Rome’s Basilica of Saint Mary Major, authorities said.

Mahony’s appointment stunned many inside and outside the Church, given his dark history.

“This is an outrageous slap in the face to survivors,” blasted Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of BishopAccountability.org. “Shame on him for participating. Shame on the Vatican for allowing it.”

The Vatican, facing growing outrage, defended the decision Thursday. Officials cited Mahony’s “seniority” among the College of Cardinals — but offered no apology.

Mahony’s record is hard to ignore. In 2013, after thousands of confidential church files were forced into the public, he was stripped of all public and administrative duties by his successor, Archbishop Jose Gomez. Those files revealed Mahony had worked behind the scenes for decades to shield abusive priests from justice and protect the Church’s reputation at all costs.

One of the most notorious cases involved Father Michael Baker. In 1986, Baker confessed to Mahony that he had molested two boys over seven years. Instead of removing him, Mahony quietly sent Baker to therapy and allowed him back into parish life — where he was later accused of abusing more children. Baker wasn’t defrocked until 2000 and was finally convicted of child molestation in 2007.

By then, the damage was catastrophic. In 2007, under Mahony’s watch, the Los Angeles Archdiocese agreed to a record-shattering $660 million settlement with over 500 clergy abuse victims.

Mahony, though publicly apologizing for his “mistakes,” defended himself by claiming Church officials at the time “did not understand” the nature of sexual abuse. Many survivors and watchdog groups have never accepted that excuse.

“The idea that Roger Mahony should have anything to do with Pope Francis’ funeral is disgusting,” said Peter Saunders, a former member of the Vatican’s own abuse commission. “It shows the Vatican’s complete tone-deafness. This is a Church that still protects its own before it protects children.”

Pope Francis himself has faced fierce criticism from traditional Catholics and conservatives who say he talks about compassion and reform — but tolerates corruption within the hierarchy. His handling of abuse cases, especially surrounding figures like ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, has further tarnished his legacy.

“The Pope preached mercy, but his funeral is turning into a showcase for the very corruption he promised to clean up,” said a senior Vatican journalist, speaking anonymously out of fear of backlash.

The funeral will take place Saturday morning at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square. Dignitaries from around the world, including President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, are expected to attend. But with Mahony helping to close the casket, many Catholics say the ceremony has already been permanently stained.