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CNN Live Today

Abuse Scandal Has Affected Church Morale, Finances

Aired April 16, 2002 - 12:19   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: ... has gotten involved in a way that few ever expected.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL (voice-over): The summons from his eminence is as significant as it is historic.

FATHER BOB CARR, HOLY CROSS CATHEDRAL: This is something you'll be talking about -- well, in some way or another 1,000 years from now. This is not 50 years, oh, remember when -- this is 1,000 years from now.

CARROLL (on camera): That significant.

CARR: That significant.

CARROLL (voice-over): Father Bob Carr is a priest in the Archdiocese of Boston, a city where names like Geoghan, Shanley and Paquin have become synonymous with disgraced clergy, a city whose own cardinal, Bernard Law, missed mass on Sunday for the first time in years, as he struggles with the crisis some here say he can't handle, that he helped create, and that should end in his resignation.

CARR: And I suppose the pope is going to say what's going on here, and where are we not living the gospel and where does this have to change?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The American church has had an opportunity to try to get this mess under control.

CARROLL: Bob Bartlett (ph) says when he was a boy, Father Ronald Paquin sexually abused him over a period of five years. He settled his case, but that legal battle left him skeptical about how much change even the pope can effect.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's heading in the right direction, but I'm going to have to see a lot before I'll be satisfied.

CARROLL: Bob Sherman, an attorney whose firm is currently handling 120 sexual abuse claims against priests, was more blunt. BOB SHERMAN, ATTORNEY FOR VICTIMS: There needs to be a plan put in place. We can't be talking simply about meetings and hand wringing and we'll pray for the victims. There needs to be action.

CARROLL: Sherman says the pontiff should talk to the victims, but Father Carr says first, change has to come from within.

CARR: Ultimately, I think what the pope may call them to is his own personal philosophy, which is personalism, is to look -- is to come to that point where we'll all called to come to. That he would look into the eyes of every human being and say, Jesus died for that person. I will treat them respectively.

CARROLL: We may never know what the pope says to the cardinals in Rome, but Boston is waiting for what one will do when he comes back.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL: One theologian suggests that the reason why the Vatican finally ended up getting involved is because the church scandal in the United States has affected church finances, as well as morale -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, Jason, will the pope actually meet with the cardinals, or will this just be his staff?

CARROLL: Well we can tell you that what we're hearing is that the cardinals will end up meeting with three of the pope's top advisers. We can tell you that. But all of the church officials that we've been talking to say that it is highly unlikely that all of these cardinals will end up going to the Vatican and not end up meeting with the pope in some way or form -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Well it's being addressed, and that's definitely the most important. Our Jason Carroll, thanks so much.

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