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It's unfortunate that, in the way the meeting is described, it makes it seem that with the Pope's approval Cardinal Law is somehow exonerated of delinquency of duty in the handling of the Shanley case. "Rome wants me to stay" and so forth. Whatever his other meritorious qualities may be, he needs to explain what he was thinking about or why he wrote letters saying Shanley was fine and had no problems when he transferred this seasoned abuser to another diocese. It doesn't make much sense. Whether he is entirely innocent and just a well-meaing fool who didn't understand serial sex abuse, he has become a symbol of the violation of trust perpetrated by some U.S. bishops. By staying in the headlines, he keeps the mud flying at the Church.