I am not Catholic, and do not understand Catholic politics. But I do understand this: Cardinal Mahony should take a nod from the pope he praises, and remove himself.

Peggy Noonan writes in The Wall Street Journal:

A Washington-based Catholic activist spoke with some urgency of Cardinal Roger Mahony, who is scheduled to go to Rome to vote on Benedict's successor. As the Washington Post this week noted in an editorial, Cardinal Mahony is "lucky not to be in prison" for his role in covering up hundreds of well-chronicled cases of child sexual abuse in the 1980s, during his 25-year tenure as archbishop of Los Angeles. A few weeks ago he was forcefully rebuked and relieved of many of his public duties by his successor, Archbishop Jose Gomez.

Said the activist: "If Mahony goes to Rome it will be so wrong. And the media will make everything about him."

They will, and understandably. It would be a shame, and another scandal for the church, if Cardinal Mahony goes, and votes. He should take a nod from the pope he praises, and remove himself.