A roundup of opinion online on the pope's electors.


Cardinal Roger Mahony, on his blog: "In the past several days, I have experienced many examples of being humiliated. In recent days, I have been confronted in various places by very unhappy people. I could understand the depth of their anger and outrage — at me, at the church, at about injustices that swirl around us. Thanks to God's special grace, I simply stood there, asking God to bless and forgive them."

OUR VIEW : Child abuse scandal taints conclave

George Neumayr,Crisis magazine: "Cardinal Mahony's clericalist habits are so ingrained that it wouldn't occur to him that his behavior constitutes an open scandal. He has long confused his perceived personal good with the good of the church and can't stop himself now, even though his straining attempts at vindication open the church up to enormous ridicule during the conclave, a problem that has led at least one Italian cardinal to suggest he sit it out. In an ecclesiastical culture that prized the salvation of souls over a bogus 'collegiality' (which usually means letting derelict bishops repair their images and preserve their privileges at the expense of the church's common good), such spectacles of egotism would be unthinkable."

Kristine Ward,National Catholic Reporter: "Pope Benedict XVI, by being in the unique position of being alive and with his considerable political skills that were in evidence before and during the last conclave, will have influence over the coming conclave and, it can be reasonably expected, into the next papacy. Pope Benedict should bar Cardinal Roger Mahony from entering the conclave."

R.R. Reno,First Things: "This is not an argument that the church should be run by spotless saints. ... When it comes to the hierarchy, it takes a fair bit of inner push to climb the greasy pole, which only too easily blooms into sins of pride and more. Yet God can use the twisted timber of our fallen humanity to serve his supernatural purposes. That said, it doesn't take a wild spiritual imagination to see that it would be a good witness for our age if a few of the church's princes accepted the fact that the best service they could provide to the church is to acknowledge the damage they've done by staying home."

Tom Rastrelli,The Huffington Post: "This Lenten season, priests all over the world are preaching, 'Words mean nothing if they aren't matched by equal and appropriate actions.' Now, Cardinal Mahony and other pedophile enablers will elect the new pope. Do they not see how their participation in such a process undermines their institution's credibility? Perhaps victims would find some peace if the cardinals who participated in the coverup of abuse were to recuse themselves from the coming conclave. Perhaps victims would find some hope for the future safety of children if all bishops involved in the scandal were defrocked."