400 March for Cardinal Law's Resignation

AP via NYTimes.com ^ | 12/08/2002

[GeneD]

Filed at 1:57 p.m. ET

BOSTON (AP) -- Facing rekindled outrage from priests and parishioners over new revelations of clergy misconduct, Cardinal Bernard Law stayed away from the Cathedral of the Holy Cross on Sunday as protesters renewed calls for his resignation.

Some 400 protesters gathered outside the cathedral, where Law had been expected to celebrate Mass, as they have since the abuse scandal erupted in January. An archdiocese spokeswoman refused to say where Law was, saying only that he had no public schedule.

Sunday's larger-than-usual protest was fueled by last week's release of new internal church documents containing some of the most spectacular allegations yet, suggesting church officials tolerated a wide range of clergy misconduct, and not just sexual abuse of boys.

``His presence here is hindering the ability of the victims to come out. He is the real voice of dissent here. He is the one flouting Catholic teachings time and again,'' said Jean Garrity, 43, of Wellesley, a member of the dissident group Voice of the Faithful.

Law has brushed off calls for his resignation for months, but for the first time he now faces the same request from priests.

Boston-area priests are circulating a draft statement calling for Law's resignation, and plan to deliver it to him if they get 50 signatures.

The draft statement, a copy of which was obtained by The Boston Globe, praises his work helping the homeless and building relations with the Jewish community.

``However,'' it adds, ``the events of recent months and, in particular, of these last few days, make it clear to us that your position as our bishop is so compromised that it is no longer possible for you to exercise the spiritual leadership required for the church of Boston.''

The Boston Priests Forum, a group of about 250 priests, also plans to discuss the possibility of urging Law to resign at a meeting Friday.

The latest personnel papers, part of a huge collection of church files that victims' lawyers pried from the archdiocese, document a priest beating his housekeeper and threatening alleged sex abuse victims, another trading cocaine for sex, and a third claiming to be the second coming of Christ in order to entice teenagers training to be nuns into having sex.

Later in the week, other papers disclosed that a priest fathered at least two children, and apparently failed to immediately get medical help for the mother of their children when she overdosed.

Amid the latest reports, a financial advisory panel gave Law authority on Wednesday to seek a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing for the archdiocese-- a move that may prove financially necessary but would infuriate abuse victims seeking damages.

[SamAdams76]

I live in Boston and grew up in a heavily Catholic neighborhood. I married a Catholic. I can tell you that Cardinal Law is regarded as a criminal around here on the same level as Whitey Bulger. Grave damage has been done to the Catholic church. Earlier this year, I said that if Cardinal Law would only resign, the Church would be able to repair the damage. Now I am not so sure the damage can be undone. Though raised a Baptist myself, I always had respect for the Catholic Church and once considered converting to it. Now I am glad I didn't and I have lost all respect for the Catholic Church. If I never step in one again, it will be okay by me.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

400 March for Cardinal Law's Resignation

I'd be marching for his prosecution on charges of aiding and abetting the commission of a felony (child molestation). If I was a family member of one of the victims, this guy would be lucky to be breathing right now.

[billorites]

The President of the University of Massachusetts, Billy Bulger, just took the fifth amendment before a House committee investigating gangsters while the Cardinal of the Boston Diocese, Bernard Law, is being hounded out of office for condoning the diddling of altar boys.

Now the voters have given the corner office to a new governor, squeeky clean Mitt Romney, who of all things, is a member of LDS.

There's no spectator sport in Boston that comes close to delivering as many hours of pleasure as does Massachusetts politics.

[BunnySlippers]

Agreed.

Cardinal Law needs to leave before the church can heal. He represents all that is wrong with the church and pedophila. That he does know that is a sign that he just doesn't get it.

[ErnBatavia]

and looking like this!