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Former NY Cardinal denies knowledge of sexual abuse and regrets apologizing

Edward Egan: ‘I don't think we did anything wrong’

ANTOINETTE KELLY,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Thursday, February 9, 2012, 8:14 AM

Updated Thursday, February 9, 2012, 2:08 PM

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Former Cardinal Edward Egan

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A former New York Cardinal has come under fire after admitting he regrets apologizing over the sex abuse scandal in his diocese.

Former Cardinal Edward Egan, who was at the center of the priest abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport, told Connecticut Magazine that he believes there is no legal requirement for reporting abuse cases in Connecticut.

Referring to his original apology, the former bishop of Bridgepoint said, "first of all, I should have never said that".

"I did say if we did anything wrong, I'm sorry, but I don't think we did anything wrong."

In the interview, Egan also inferred that many of his accomplishments were over shadowed by the sex abuse scandal.

"I'm not the slightest bit surprised that, of course, the scandal was going to be fun in the news -- not fun, but the easiest thing to write about," he said.

According to ctpost.com, the diocese of Bridgeport paid almost $40 million in settlements to dozens of abuse victims who claimed their abuse in the 1960s was covered up by the church.

The majority of settlements were reached just days before Egan left the diocese and took up his position as the cardinal of New York. It was later revealed that throughout his tenure he failed to report several cases of child sex abuse within the diocese.
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Responding to his comments, David Clohessy, director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests told ctpost.com, "Egan is obviously unrepentant, self-absorbed and painfully dismissive of the abject suffering of tens of thousands of deeply wounded men, women and children who have been sexually violated by priests, nuns, bishops, brothers, seminarians and other Catholic officials,"

"We can't help but believe that many other prelates feel exactly as he does, but are shrewd enough to avoid saying so outside of clerical circles," he added.

Egan retired in 2009; the closest he came to making a formal apology was when he addressed parishioners in New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral in April 2002.

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KatieMurphy | Apr 30, 2012, 11:17 PM EDT

Sorry to the person who said "let the institution right itself" It will never right itself until the estimated in the USA 10,000 priests and all the hierarchy who committed / hid these vile crimes are prosecuted............................................ As to Kilgara and his comment about "fanatical catholic bashers", people like you are most likely also victims of molestation. Trying desperately to hide your fears that your moelstaion was your fault. Courtesy of the church's guilt campaigns on molested children.................Its quite similar to the worst anti gay people, eg George Rekers, founder of the hate group FRC and head of Narth, which claims to fix gays......................The fixing didnt work on him. JUst google "George Rekers is gay".........This molestation biz goes beyond the church doing these crimes against children (soul murder), and hiding it....... I know a man who is the most rabid basher of gay people and it turns out that he is a victim also............Is there no crime against humanity the church has not committed is the question. I btw have hundreds of links, most from legit mainstream news sources, about the issues.

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KatieMurphy | Apr 30, 2012, 11:00 PM EDT

1. its ot homosexual priests etc that caused the abuse for they were having their sex with other gay priests.... The problem arises from the not natural denial of sex, which ultimately came out in all kinds of hideous ways by mostly str8 priests who saw children as the easiest to terrify and make believe that the sex was their own fault. Egan and his ilk are guilty of conspiracy after the fact to keep secret the horros of horros of the church.Its not just that they hid it, but that they know that we will be finally rid of the paedophile church of hidden molestation if the whole truth comes out....................People who hide child molesters deserve to share a cell with a roomate named spike.

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fatherelijah | Apr 30, 2012, 02:33 PM EDT

I know from close friends that Cardinal Egan is an active homosexual who has even entertained homosexual parties for the priests in his diocese. One of the only heterosexual priests was invited to the party was shocked what he was witnessing and left the party, obviously someone pegged him wrong as to his sexual orientation. The cardinal immediately followed after him to make certain he would not spill the beans. The cardinal was very threatening and vowed to make his life miserable. It worked for the priest remained silent. Cardinal Egan is an arrogant, but dull headed tyrant. He will lie to he dies because he believes he is untouchable.

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merefalow | Feb 12, 2012, 06:15 PM EST

these people are unbelievable,what hope is there ,how could anyone seriously believe that these creatures are holy,or men of god.they are despicable,this mans arrogance and lack of empathy,sensitivity,outrage,terrible,terrible in the fact that this is commonplace and ongoing,cover up attitude ,not dealing with this running sore within the church.

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Portia777 | Feb 11, 2012, 10:47 AM EST

Egan is unrepentant because he is brainwashed to believe he is a man of god and is above the law. Also those parents who baptise their children are in fact signing them into this Roman cult where molesting children is a sacred ritual that men in dresses are entitled to. In law parents signed their children over. And you know what they say, ignorance of the law is no excuse.

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Portia777 | Feb 11, 2012, 10:41 AM EST

Under their own Canon law molesting children is a sacred ritual..oh yes, so not a crime. Therefore this man of god would see that he did nothing wrong. This same "church" claims to own all of this planet and her people.People need to study all about the Catholic cult and know what they are signed up for- unknown to them. The ROMAN Catholic church converted people to their ways through murder, terror, fear etc and the FEAR element is clearly alive and well as most people deny the truth of the cult they are members of. In this way, they do not have to accept collective responsibilty.

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kilgara | Feb 10, 2012, 12:46 PM EST

The fanatical Catholic bashers who run this site took Cardinal Egans' words out of context and twisted them to mean something entirely different than what he intended. The comments below are just the usual, pathetic and very tiresome comments of people who know very little about our beloved Church and even less about the real world. Yes, there was some abuse but, it was blown way out of proportion by a biased media. Then we had the tens of thousands of phony claims by greedy bandwagon jumpers who saw an easy payday. The Church should have fought the vast majority of these cases in court.that was its' biggest mistake becacause by not contesting these bogus claims they invited many more bogus greedy claims.

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SeamusMartin | Feb 10, 2012, 11:08 AM EST

Oh i believe that poor cardinal egan. Why I bet his head was up some poor lad bum, so he missed all sex abuse. What a freakin' lyer he is. He's no soldier... he and his ilk are traitors to the RCC and humanity.

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CLUIDEMAN | Feb 10, 2012, 07:51 AM EST

Cardinal Egan, who is not one of my favorites, was merely stating the position of the Church at the time, he was the face representing the Catholic Church. Cardinal Egan is a Cannon Lawyer and was stating the Church's official position. He is the soldier who took the hit.

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pilib04 | Feb 09, 2012, 08:05 PM EST

Sorry CanadaIrish. I didn't read the other posts before placing mine. I like the Lake of Fire better.

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pilib04 | Feb 09, 2012, 08:04 PM EST

Let me see if I have this right. My Church believes that artificial birthcontrol is wrong and sinful, but the raping of children does not need to be reported? Burn in Hell!

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canadianirish | Feb 09, 2012, 05:14 PM EST

Upon his death, he and the hundreds (thousands) of other priests, bishops and cardinals who participated in these abuse scandals will be thrown into 'the lake of fire'. Justice served!

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DannyBoyG | Feb 09, 2012, 04:34 PM EST

Someone needs to let this delusional old fool know that he is not above anyone else. In fact his pure existence has a very foul odor!!!!!!

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sailmaker | Feb 09, 2012, 03:36 PM EST

Failure to report felony sexual abuse is generally classified as a Misprision of Felony if there is no specific statute prohibiting such behavior as he thinks he had no duty to report. I simply don't believe Connecticut had no such abuse statutes. That's why this dam* fool and Bernard Law should be in prison at this very moment!

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biggles008 | Feb 09, 2012, 01:50 PM EST

He is gone wrong in the head.

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