Pedophile priest sentenced in the Diocese of Orange

Denis Lyons, 78, of Seal Beach, previously admitted to charges of molesting a 7- to 9-year-old boy at St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Costa Mesa between 1992 and 1995 for four felony counts of lewd conduct with a child younger than 14.

Lyons pleaded guilty in an agreement with prosecutors that allowed him to avoid a potential 14-year prison sentence if convicted at trial.

Superior Court Judge Francisco Briseno ordered Lyons on Friday to serve one year in county jail beginning Oct. 12, followed by five years' probation. He must also complete lifetime sex offender registration and serve 400 hours of community service.

I must admit, for such a heinous crime - to which this man admitted his act - the sentence is ridiculously light.  I understand Lyons is an old man.  But Jerry Sandusky is only ten years younger.  And I suspect that Lyons did not engage in pedophilia for three years and was just fine the rest of the time.  And, in fact, although not charged with crimes for then, two other victims of Lyons read impact statements during the sentencing phase.  Evidently, that was not enough for Judge Briseno.  If the one year in jail - during which time Lyons will be in what is called special yard rather than the general population - was handed down in deference to his age, I wonder what kind of community service he can do for 400 hours.

But with any of the cases involving the Diocese of Orange, I have to ask to what extent did Lyons superiors and colleagues know of his penchant for young boys and did nothing, or worse, hid it.  A one time contact in the diocese related to me the story of one priest who was paying too much attention to a young girl in his parish (texting and phoning her "after hours" and on weekends), and the parents complained.  He was to be placed on administrative leave - but that never happened.  He is in another diocese now.  Does that sound like a familiar pattern?

And I am curious to know - he was arrested at his townhouse in Leisure World, a fairly affluent retirement community.  And his attorney was Gary Pohlson, a well-known criminal attorney to whom I once referred the pastor of my former parish.  Who paid?

Pray for a holy bishop for the Diocese of Orange.  Someone who will adopt as his episcopal motto, Play time is over . . .