Victims of priest abuse react

Priest abuse victims gathered outside the Cathedral in Los Angeles today.

They said the recent moves by the church are too little, too late.

Retired Cardinal Roger Mahoney didn’t lose his title, but he won’t be allowed to have any local involvement with the church.

Mahoney’s former aide, Thomas Curry, resigned from his post as the bishop overseeing Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

The Catholic Church must also comply with a judge’s order to release unedited versions of priest files.

But a former Oxnard altar boy abused by his priest decades ago said they are not getting the whole story.

Manuel Vega said, “I’m a victim of Father Fidencio Silva. I was abused from the age of 10 to 15. Today we stand here after a long battle. It’s a battle that’s not over because the release of the documents and the documents that we’re seeing now are not all of them. We have, at this point we’re putting our trust in the church that the documents that we receive are the complete package. And by looking through them I can’t believe that. I don’t believe that that’s all there is to Father Fidencio’s file who abused me. I can’t believe that’s all there is to some of the other priests that abuse friends of mine. It’s important that the public go to the websites. Go to bishopsaccountability.org. Get on there, take a look at the files on bishipsaccountability.org there are links that will explain some of the stuff that’s in the files that will help the public to start putting the pieces together. Just like we’re putting the pieces together.”

Vega hopes public awareness will help other victims break their silence.