Cardinal Roger Mahony over the years

Cardinal Roger Mahoney greets youths who were about to perform the Passion Play for Good Friday at St. Julie Billiart Catholic Church in Newbury Park.   (Bryan Chan / Los Angeles Times)

Cardinal Roger Mahony reads a letter from the Bishops of California during Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.   (Ann Johansson / Associated Press)

Cardinal Roger Mahony, center, celebrates a special Mass commemorating the one-year anniversary of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.   (George Wilhelm / Los Angeles Times)

Cardinal Roger Mahony is interviewed at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. He was asked about reports of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church.  (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Antonio Villaraigosa, second from right, sings with his then-wife Corina, second from left, then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, left, and Cardinal Roger Mahony at Villaraigosa’s mayoral inauguration ceremony on July 1, 2005.   (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)

Cardinal Roger Mahony celebrates a special Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles to celebrate the ordination of Pope Benedict XVI.   (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Cardinal Roger Mahony makes his way to the altar at the start of a Mass he presided over at the Basilica SS Quattro Coronati in Rome.   (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Cardinal Roger Mahony walks through the cloister at the Basilica SS Quattro Coronati in Rome after presiding over Mass.  (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Cardinal Roger Mahony leads Mass for the health of Pope John Paul II at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles.  (David McNew / Getty Images)

Cardinal Roger Mahony, left, sits next to attorney J. Michael Hennigan at a settlement hearing to resolve abuse claims against the Catholic Church.  (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Cardinal Roger Mahony, left, walks with his successor, San Antonio Archbishop Jose Gomez, right, after a news conference at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Gomez was appointed to take over the Archdiocese of Los Angeles when Mahony retired.   (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)