April 09, 2005

Advocates for abuse victims protest U.S. cardinal's role in papal mourning

VATICAN CITY
Macleans

VATICAN CITY (AP) - Leaders of an advocacy group for victims of clergy sexual abuse said Saturday they were flying to Rome to protest the Vatican's choice of Bernard Cardinal Law to celebrate an important Mass mourning Pope John Paul.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said Law's presence was painful to victims and embarrassing to Catholics. Law resigned as archbishop of Boston in December 2002 after unsealed court records revealed he had allowed guilty priests to move among parish assignments and had not notified the public.

On Monday, he will lead one of the nine daily Masses for the Pope at Rome's St. Mary Major Basilica, the church where John Paul appointed him archpriest. Survivors Network representatives plan to be there to distribute fliers on how Law mishandled abuse cases.

"We certainly do not want to cause any additional pain or suffering to anyone attending the memorial service for the Holy Father," said Barbara Blaine, the Survivors Network founder, in a phone interview from the United States. "Our concern is that many Catholics going there don't know the history with Cardinal Law and that's why we want to inform them."

Law has apologized for his wrongdoing. A man who answered the phone at the basilica said Law would not comment. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops also declined to comment.

Some in the Catholic Church have said that the Vatican likely asked Law to preside over the service because he leads an important church, not to give him a personal honour. The church is one of four basilicas under direct Vatican jurisdiction.

Posted by kshaw at April 9, 2005 04:07 PM