Disgraced Cardinal Bernard Law dies in Rome

Cardinal Bernard Law, disgraced former archbishop of Boston, US, who failed to stop child abusers in the priesthood died at the age of 86, said the Vatican on Tuesday.

According to a statement by the Holy See, Law died early on Wednesday morning as a result of a long illness.

Law was one of the most crucial leaders in the US church, who broadly influenced Vatican appointments to American dioceses, was favoured by then Pope John Paul II and helped set priorities for the nation’s bishops.

In January 2002, however, the Boston Globe issued a series of reports claiming that church records revealed that Law transferred sexually abusive clergy members amongst parish assignemnts for years, without ever alerting parents or police. Within months, Catholics around the US demanded to know whether their bishops had done the same.

Law attempted to manage the scandal in his own archdiocese by initially refusing to comment and then apoligising and promising reform. Thousands more church records, however, were then released, describing new cases of how Law and others expressed more concern and care for the accused priests than for the victims.

Amid a groundswell against the cardinal, including rare public rebukes from some of his own priests, Law asked to resign and the pope allowed it.

“It is my fervent prayer that this action may help the archdiocese of Boston to experience the healing, reconciliation and unity which are so desperately needed,” Law said when he stepped down as head of the Boston  archdiocese in December of that year. “To all those who have suffered from my shortcomings and mistakes, I both apologise and from them beg forgiveness.”

Since 1950, more than 6m500 (or around 6%) of US priests, have been accused of abusing children, with the US church having paid more than $3 billion in settlements to victims, according to studies commissioned by the US bishops as well as media reports.

As the leader of the archdiocese at the centre of the scandal, Law remained a symbol of the church’s widespread failures to protect children.

A Boston attorney who has represented dozens of people who say they were sexually abused by priests said Law’s death has reopened old wounds. Attorney Mitchell Garabedian said that “many victims are reminded of the pain.”

Garabedian said Law “turned his back on innocent children and allowed them to be sexually abused”.

The cardinal did retain some support in the Vatican.

 In 2004, he was appointed archpriest of the Basilica of St Mary Major, one of four principal basilicas in Rome. When John Paul died the next year, Law was among bishops who presided at a memorial mass for the pontiff in St Peter’s Basilica.

Law also continued for several years to serve in Vatican policy-making committees, including the Congregation for Bishops, which recommends appointments to the pope. Advocates for victims saw the posts as a sign of favour for Law by church officials unrepentant about abused children.

The 2002 case:

In the notorious case that started the 2002 scandal, as recounted in the movie Spotlight, the Globe reported that Law and two of his predecessors as Boston archbishop had transferred former priest John Geoghan among parish assignments despite knowing he abused children. More than 130 people eventually came forward to say Geoghan abused them.

The archdiocese paid $10m in settlements with 86 of his victims and their relatives as Law was clinging to his job. It was nowhere near enough to ease the growing anger.

As he announced he would leave, Law asked Boston Catholics to: “Please keep me in your prayers.”