VATICAN CITY
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Friday, April 08, 2005
By Ann Rodgers, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
VATICAN CITY -- Cardinal Bernard Law, who resigned in disgrace from the archdiocese of Boston due to his role in a sexual abuse scandal that badly damaged the Catholic Church nationwide, has been chosen by his fellow cardinals to preside at one of the most prominent Masses to be offered for the late Pope John Paul II.
Law was selected to preside and preach Monday at 5 p.m. in St. Peter's Basilica. It will be the fourth of nine days of funeral Masses for John Paul at St. Peter's.
The announcement from Archbishop Piero Marini, the Vatican's chief liturgist, indicated that Law, who last year was named archpriest of the patriarchal Basilica of St. Mary Major, was chosen to represent the major patriarchal basilicas. Each cardinal who preaches during the so-called Novendiales -- nine days -- is supposed to represent some important ancient or contemporary aspect of the church.
Although Law no longer has the responsibility for a diocese, he kept all of his assignments within the Vatican bureaucracy and is eligible to vote for the next pope. He is the only U.S. cardinal chosen to preside at one of the Novendiales.
Posted by kshaw at April 8, 2005 09:04 AM