Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Law resigns as Boston archbishop
Associated Press ^ | December 13, 2002 | Associated Press Staff

Posted on 12/13/2002 4:50:01 AM PST by MeekOneGOP


Law resigns as Boston archbishop

12/13/2002

Associated Press

VATICAN CITY - Cardinal Bernard Law, under intense fire in a church sex abuse scandal, resigned Friday as Boston archbishop, the Vatican announced.

The Vatican said Pope John Paul II had accepted the resignation after the two men held talks Friday morning. The pope named Bishop Richard Lennon an auxiliary bishop in Boston, to run the diocese temporarily.

"I am profoundly grateful to the Holy Father for having accepted my resignation as archbishop of Boston," Law said in a written statement released by the Vatican.

"It is my fervent prayer that this action may help the archdiocese of Boston to experience the healing, reconciliation and unity which are so desperately needed."

"To all those who have suffered from my shortcomings and mistakes, I both apologize and from them beg forgiveness."

Law is the highest ranking church figure brought down by the current scandal. In April, he offered to resign in a meeting with the pope, but the pontiff rejected the idea.

Abuse victims, lay members and even some priests had intensified calls for Law's removal after 18 years at the helm of the Boston archdiocese, as more cases of sordid conduct by priests were brought to light with the release of church files.

Law had been at the Vatican all week, but largely kept out of the public eye. The cardinal slipped quietly away from Boston to begin a round of meetings with top officials at the Vatican over his and his archdiocese's fate.

Law has been accused of having shuffled from parish to parish priests who were accused, often repeatedly, of sexually abusing minors.

Recent days have been marked by some of the most shocking revelations in the year-old scandal in Boston, with the release of thousands of pages of the archdiocese's personnel files.

Victims have accused Law of being more mindful of his personal reputation than honestly dealing with the scandal, and dozens of priests under his command demanded he step down.

The Boston archdiocese is also facing enormous payments in settlements with sex abuse victims, and the Vatican may decide whether the local church should declare bankruptcy to protect itself from creditors.

Law's temporary replacement, Lennon, offered prayers for the victims of sex abuse and pledged Friday "to work towards healing as a church and furthering the mission of Jesus Christ within our community.

"I am thankful for the good works that his Eminence Cardinal Law accomplished in his service to us as archbishop and for the friendship that I have enjoyed with him," Lennon said in a statement. "I ask for prayers for him as he continues his life in service to the church."

There have been several other resignations in the scandal, including an archbishop in the pope's native Poland, but they have been directly accused of sex abuse. A decade ago, an archbishop from Newfoundland accused of covering up a sex abuse scandal was forced to resign.

Also Friday, the pope also appointed a new bishop for Lexington, Ky., a post vacant since the previous bishop resigned in June following accusations of sex abuse. The new bishop is Monsignor Ronald William Gainer, 55, an official in the diocese of Allentown, Pa.

Whenever a bishop offers to step down, for age, illness or other problems, it is up to the pope to accept the offer or to ask the churchman to stay on, as the pontiff did back in April when Law also journeyed to Rome to seek out John Paul's guidance.

After Law, now 71, returned in the spring from his meeting with the pontiff, he said he was "encouraged" in his efforts to provide "the strongest possible leadership" in ensuring no child is ever abused again by a priest in his archdiocese.

In recent years, sex abuse scandals have engulfed dioceses across the United States and in Ireland, France and the pope's native Poland.

But Boston has been at the epicenter of the scandals because of the archdiocese's centuries-old prestige and Law's insistence that he stay at the helm.

Last month, Law, in an apology delivered during Mass in Boston's Cathedral, acknowledged his responsibility for decisions that "led to intense suffering."


Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/latestnews/stories/121302dnintlaw.9a857236.html


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: cardinallaw; childmolestation; lawresigns


1 posted on 12/13/2002 4:50:01 AM PST by MeekOneGOP
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: MeeknMing
What's a disgraced ex-Cardinal to do other than become a college President.
2 posted on 12/13/2002 4:57:33 AM PST by billorites
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: billorites
He can always contemplate his punishment in hell...
3 posted on 12/13/2002 5:01:54 AM PST by chadwimc
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: chadwimc
"He can always contemplate his punishment in hell..."

That presumes he's a believer.

4 posted on 12/13/2002 5:03:20 AM PST by billorites
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: MeeknMing
Thank heaven. I
5 posted on 12/13/2002 5:22:56 AM PST by patriciaruth
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: billorites
What's a disgraced ex-Cardinal to do other than become a college President.

Well, he can't come to UMASS Amherst, because we have already filled the post with a corrupt former politician (Billy Bulger), who recently pleaded the Fifth to cover the fact that he knows were his felonious murdering brother, Whitey Bulger (now #2 on the FBI most wanted list after OBL), is hiding.

Bulger's reward was to make $309,000 as UMASS president (and the eventual $200K+ pension).

Nice job if you can get it, but I think Law is underqualified.

6 posted on 12/13/2002 6:07:17 AM PST by SpinyNorman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: MeeknMing
One step in the right direction. But I notice that his replacement, Lennon, was ordained in Boston and has worked in the diocese for his entire 30 year career.

They need to bring in someone from the outside, who has no realtionships inside the diocese, to clean house.

And they can start by laicizing Cuenin.

7 posted on 12/13/2002 6:18:28 AM PST by wideawake
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MeeknMing
Rot in hell, Bernie the Pimp.
8 posted on 12/13/2002 6:19:51 AM PST by Hemingway's Ghost
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MeeknMing
Good riddance to a higher-critical evolutionist.
9 posted on 12/13/2002 6:26:13 AM PST by Zionist Conspirator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MeeknMing
Finally bump!
10 posted on 12/13/2002 6:28:45 AM PST by jjm2111
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MeeknMing
Several comments. I am glad the Cardinal resigned. His actions have scanalized the Church and do not represent the Church as a whole. That being said, I would not desire that anyone go to hell, and do not think that God desires that either. Furthermore, the fact that he made grevious mistakes does not mean that he is not a believer. By that analysis, Saint Paul and King David would be in hell since they actually killed believers and other persons. The great thing about the Christian message is that redemption is always available -- even to the most grevious sinner. Cardinal Law has much to account for, as do we all. But Christian charity demands that we not rejoice in the fall of our bretheren. Only God knows his heart, not you and certainly not me.
11 posted on 12/13/2002 6:29:08 AM PST by CWW
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MeeknMing
The pope named Bishop Richard Lennon an auxiliary bishop in Boston, to run the diocese temporarily...

i.e., to oversee the liquidation sale.

12 posted on 12/13/2002 6:30:39 AM PST by Moosilauke
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CWW
Cardinal Law has much to account for, as do we all. But Christian charity demands that we not rejoice in the fall of our bretheren. Only God knows his heart, not you and certainly not me.

Fine. He still deserves jail time.

I'm sorry, when did child molesting become a non-criminal offense? By not turning these molesters into the civil authorities, Law and his ilk were nothing but co-conspiritors in such molestations. He deserves jail time.


13 posted on 12/13/2002 6:32:28 AM PST by Bluntpoint
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: MeeknMing
Its the tip of the iceberg,,,there is much more internal rot in this institution. The pope should step down also he is too old and feeble to clean house... You should all return to spiritual Christianianity and forget about religion,,,how can these hopelessly flawed homosexually inclined priests save you if they cant even save themselves ?
14 posted on 12/13/2002 7:49:03 AM PST by aspiring.hillbilly
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: aspiring.hillbilly
Your name is very appropriate. The Church has weathered a lot worse storms than this, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Your just another Catholic-bashing bigot.
15 posted on 12/13/2002 8:05:59 AM PST by CWW
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: MeeknMing
This is long overdue. But he must also face some punishment for his role in the scandal.

And there are many more who must go.

16 posted on 12/13/2002 8:24:27 AM PST by Dajjal
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CWW
Hillbillies spell you're as your.
17 posted on 12/13/2002 9:42:50 AM PST by Chemnitz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: CWW
Your just another Catholic-bashing bigot.

I have noticed that as well. The church in the USA certainly deserves criticism and anger for trying to cover up the child molestations, but I have noticed that many use it as an excuse to vent their hatred of Catholics in general.

18 posted on 12/13/2002 9:52:06 AM PST by Hacksaw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson