Posted on 09/22/2015 4:37:46 PM PDT by Dr. Thorne
Church officials say that Pope Francis is likely to meet with victims of sexual abuse by priests when he comes to America this week — a sign of continuing turmoil and mistrust among Catholic parishioners following a series of scandals. And when critics call for more transparency and accountability, it’s Cardinal Bernard Law they often point to.
Law was forced to resign as bishop of the Archdiocese of Boston after a series of stories by a team of investigative reporters at The Boston Globe found victims and uncovered documents showing that church authorities had protected pedophile priests from prosecution — a story that will be revisited by the release next month of a new movie called “Spotlight.”
But despite the disgrace that befell Cardinal Law in Boston, he found a comfortable and influential second career at the Vatican.
(Excerpt) Read more at wbur.org ...
It was John Paul II who installed Law in the Vatican when he fled Boston (although Francis hasn't kicked him out).
Somehow, at the very beginning of his installation, the media recognized him as one of their own. There must be some sort of secret handshake or something.
If I recall correctly, Law was subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury looking into child abuse and policies of the church; is that correct?
But, before he could testify, he was suddenly transferred to a new post in Vatican City. So he was out of the country, away from our legal processes.
Someone correct me if I’m wrong. By being out of the US he never did testify to the grand jury.
Cardinal Law responded to multiple accusations that priests under his control committed unspeakable acts against young boys by (a) requiring all concerned to agree to say nothing, and (b) transferring the priests to other parishes in which they were free to abuse more boys.
My view of how the Church should have handled it has a bit of toughlove.
Once the Church finds such evidence, the Church would call in the offending priest, and present the evidence. The Church would then encourage the offending priest to do the right thing. Turn in his collar, surrender to law enforcement, and plead guilty. The Church would then offer pastoral counseling, but the offending priest would be prohibited from holding any position of authority in the Church after serving his sentence. The Church could also offer to place the offending priest in a place like a monastery AFTER SERVING HIS SENTENCE where he could be kept separate from society, and remain under supervision (of course the people doing the supervision should not be pervs). This I believe is a Christian way of dealing with such offenders, requiring confession of the sin, dealing with the consequences of such sin, and the opportunity to repent. Such supervision should not be easy. He should be dealing with a person who can be as demanding as a Marine DI.
Barring repentance, I am all for the millstone around the neck and thrown into the sea.
The same liberals wringing their hands about Law are forcing homo Boy Scout leaders upon us. Ironic.
Interesting story from your newspaper days about Law’s welcome.
Cardinal Law is responsible for $300 million dollars in lawsuits. When a new Cardinal was needed to replace Law in Boston, the Catholic leadership in Rome did zero research: no visits, no walking around and no coffees with locals. As a result, the chance to fix the problem was missed.
Cardinal Mahoney is responsible for $1.2 billion dollars in lawsuits. When Archbishop Gomez arrived to fix things, he ran into a brick wall of bureaucracy. Mahoney was told by Rome to wear zero uniforms, appear in zero public liturgies and to basically get lost. Last month Mahoney was on the main altar with Gomez during a Confirmation liturgy at the LA Cathedral. Total loser.
I blame Paul VI for much of today’s hassles. He downplayed Catholicism and highlighted Freemasonry.
“If I recall correctly, Law was subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury looking into child abuse and policies of the church; is that correct?”
You might be wrong:
December 13, 2002 - Resigns as archbishop of Boston.
July 21, 2003 - A spokesman for the Massachusetts attorney general says former Cardinal Bernard Law and other top officials in Boston’s Roman Catholic Archdiocese will not face criminal charges for keeping abusive priests in church parishes.
May 27, 2004 - Law is made archpriest of the Patriarchal (now Papal) Liberian Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome.
November 21, 2011 - The Vatican announces that Cardinal Law’s position as archpriest of the basilica of St. Mary Major will now be filled by Archbishop Santos Abril y Castello. Cardinal Law is now effectively in retirement.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/21/us/cardinal-law-fast-facts/
Law retired when Benedict XVI was Pope. Early in Francis’s pontificate, he visited Mary Major. Law showed up, they spoke briefly, and Law quickly left. I don’t think he’s been seen since.
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