Former archbishop Alphonsus Penney dead at 93

The Roman Catholicarchbishop of St. John's throughout the 1980s, a time when one of the church's biggest scandals was exposed, has died.

Alphonsus Penney died at St. Patrick's Mercy home, a long-term care facility in St. John's, on Tuesday. He was 93.

Penney was one of the church leaders disgraced by the handling of complaints from boys who were abused by priests,allegations that dated back to the mid-1970s.

Men who lived at the Mount Cashelorphanage, run by the Christian Brothers, also came forward to say the church and provincial government officials at the time ignored their complaints about abuse.

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Testimony at judicial and church inquiries, and subsequent civil court cases, revealedthat Penney and others in the church hierarchy knew about the abuse allegations years before they became public, and did nothing.

Penney resignedas archbishop in July1990after a report by the church-appointed Winter Commission condemned Roman Catholic leaders in Newfoundland and Labrador for protecting offending priests instead of their victims.

"I made a poorjudgmentin not being more present to the victims and their families when it happened, and certainly that was unchristian. I don't think that can be denied," he toldCBCNewsin hisexit interview.

Penney will be buried Friday at 11a.m. at the Basilica of St. John the Baptist.