Defense attorney Thomas A. Bergstrom, of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, said in several of those cases it was Bevilacqua who made the assignment.
While Lynn testified that he did the best he could within the parameters given to him by Bevilacqua, prosecutors focused on Lynn's agency in gathering information from alleged victims and their alleged priest abusers.
Lynn testified that Bevilacqua would not remove a priest from ministry unless he had been diagnosed as a pedophile — a person who prefers children sexually to adults — or as an ephebophile — a person who prefers adolescents sexually over adults.
Lynn testified that, under his watch, priests were no longer just reassigned without supervision, which used to be done after clerics were accused of sexually abusing children. Instead, they were sent for mental-health evaluations, inpatient treatment and put into ministry with an aftercare team and as little contact with children as possible, Lynn testified.
Prosecutor Patrick Blessington said Tuesday that "Lady Justice" is depicted with a sword in one hand.
"There is a time for mercy and there is a time for justice. This is a time for justice," the prosecutor said.
Justice is necessary for not only the sex-abuse victims but for the Catholic Church community, particularly the congregants who lost their faith, Blessington said.
Bergstrom said in Lynn's defense regarding D.G. that Lynn directed that Avery enter treatment, that Lynn set up an aftercare treatment team after Avery left inpatient treatment and that Lynn had never met D.G.
Lindy said it would satisfy the four traditional goals of sentencing — deterrence, retribution, protection of society and rehabilitation — to have Lynn serve work-release or probation because there is no risk he could endanger more children because he has been out of the capacity as secretary for clergy for almost eight years.
Matthew Coyne, a Downingtown, Pa., resident who was a congregant when Lynn was the pastor for St. Joseph Church in Downingtown, said that his wife, Lisa, had a "nasty" pastor when she was growing up. But Coyne said because of what Lynn's pastorship has meant to his wife, he has never seen her cry more than in the past year.
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