Boston cardinal quits over sex scandal

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Friday, 13 December, 2002, 11:46 GMT

The cardinal accused of mishandling accusations of paedophilia by priests in the United States has resigned.

The Pope accepted the resignation of Archbishop Bernard Law of Boston on Friday morning after a short meeting.

Cardinal Law had faced calls to step down from some of his own priests following accusations that he had failed to act to prevent child abuse by members of the clergy.

He is the first cardinal to step down from his post in modern times.

The Vatican said Bishop Richard Lennon, who is an auxiliary bishop in Boston, would run the diocese temporarily.

The Boston diocese faces some 450 lawsuits alleging child abuse and is considering filing bankruptcy.

Critics accused Cardinal Law of moving priests from one pulpit to another rather than confronting the problem.

Call for reconciliation

In a short statement after the Pope accepted the resignation, Cardinal Law apologised and begged forgiveness.

He said he hoped his resignation would "help the Archdiocese of Boston to experience the healing, reconciliation and unity which are so desperately needed".

Cardinal Law spent a week in Rome meeting senior Vatican officials before handing in his resignation.

He had offered it once before, in April, but the Pope refused it then.

The BBC's David Willey in Rome said that accepting it on Friday was part of a "damage limitation exercise".

The diocese has been rocked by allegations of sexual misconduct by dozens of priests over decades.

Earlier in the week, a group claiming to represent more than 25,000 parishioners called for the cardinal to resign due to what it called "a pervasive pattern of behaviour to conceal and cover up... evil actions".

Cardinal Law has been ordered to appear before a Boston grand jury investigating the allegations.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2002

Answers

Damned inconvenient. I needed a detailed weather report this morning, and this is all that was on the news.

The travesty would never developed if Law hadn't believed some social engineering moron that these guys could be "treated". He handled them the same way as his alcoholic priests - rehab, and then reassignment. For decades.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2002


BrookS, if you need weather information, go to yahoo for it. You can specify your state and city.

As far as rehabilitation of these pedophile priests, it might be possible to believe in it at the start of one of these molester's careers, but not for time after time after time. The excuse "the psychologist said he was cured and I believed it" does not ring true.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2002


Peter, it isn't a shortage of internet weather sites, I needed something more detailed. I'm helping someone move tomorrow. In the rain. She broke her arm a couple weeks ago so I get to do most of the work, including packing.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2002

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