Is LA Catholic Church apolgy enough?

The Roman Catholic Church in Los Angeles has apologised to hundreds of people abused by priests after agreeing to a record-breaking settlement.

The apology by Cardinal Roger Mahony, the Church's leader, comes after the 508 victims reached a pay-out deal with the church worth $660m (£324m).

There are many things that the whole money of the world can’t pay. The most important of this is the loss of dignity the rest of one’s life. Sexual abuse suffered in childhood is life long scar that can’t be easily wiped out. Throughout the history of the Catholic Church there were sexual scandals allegedly involving even popes. There used to be cover-ups. The church enjoying great moral authority was above suspicions. Its members used to see themselves as sinners needing redemption from a clergy considered as a spiritual guide. People used to have a view of the church only through public performances without the right to know what was going inside.

The lesson to learn from the LA Catholic Church compensation is that no one is above the law. Continuous scandals will scare Catholics into embracing other Christian denominations, changing religion or becoming without religion. In view of its declining influence in the developed world, the church has a chance to fructify it influence in poor Christian countries whose solace is faith, which makes them spiritually rich as they can’t make it materially.

The compensations of the LA Catholic Church can be an occasion to open the floodgate concerning abuses everywhere in the world. According to the reports, the $660m compensation will bring the LA Catholic Church almost to ruin- financial ruin. This is the consequence of ruining the lives of many. Maybe further ruins can be ahead not just in assets but also in reputation and authority, if the churches don’t clean themselves before they seek the souls of their followers. Churches are to set good examples and not to foster “do as I say, not as I do”