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CNN Live Today

Two American Cardinals Arrive in Rome

Aired April 22, 2002 - 11:01   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Up first on CNN this hour, crisis in the priesthood. A dozen American cardinals are converging on the Vatican today. It will be if not an unprecedented, at least a very unusual meeting held with the pope regarding the sexual abuse scandal that has shaken the church.

CNN's Rome bureau chief, Alessio Vinci, joins us now -- hello, Alessio.

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF: Hello to you, Leon. Well, most of the American cardinals have already arrived here in Rome this morning. They met reporters here at the airport, and as they arrived, they said they were hoping that this meeting will first and foremost restore credibility in the American church and U.S. Catholic Church, as well as trying to establish a frank and open conversation with top Vatican officials on the issue of pedophilia that has rocked, yes, the U.S. Catholic Church in recent months. But it is a problem that is not only confined in the United States, but also is taking place in many other countries around the world.

Now, the meetings will last two days. They will open tomorrow morning 9:30 local time. The cardinal secretary of state, Cardinal Sudana (ph), will open the works. Then the U.S. cardinals will each have the opportunity to speak. Then the pope will have his own address. The pope will not participate in all of the meeting, but will certainly be present. The meetings actually are taking place in a room close to his apartment, so the pope will keep a close eye over the proceedings of the meeting.

And both U.S. and Catholic -- both U.S. cardinals and Vatican officials here are telling us that those meetings should not -- will not be meetings at which there will be a clear outcome, if you want, or any clear guidelines that will be coming up out of this meeting, but this is just a more consultative opportunity to address the issues of pedophilia.

Here is what Cardinal Law, one of the main cardinals of the United States, had to say when he arrived at the airport.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARDINAL BERNARD LAW, BOSTON: I think it is going to be a very significant meeting, as everyone has said. I don't expect that we will be making decisions at this meeting, but I think it's part of the process. And it will put us in good stead for our June meeting of the Conference of Bishops.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VINCI: Cardinal Law arrived early this morning at the airport. He was met by a mob of reporters. You know, Cardinal Law has been under tremendous pressure to resign. He was here a couple of -- about 10 days ago in a private, secret meeting with Pope John Paul II. During that meeting, according to a statement released by Cardinal Law himself, he did mention to the pope that his intentions of resigning. However, we understand both from the statement that he has released and from comments made by Vatican officials here, that for the time being at least, there is no talk of Cardinal Law resigning.

However, the "Los Angeles Times" is reporting this morning that at least one cardinal and one U.S. bishop are going to ask during these meetings for the resignation of Cardinal Law. However, not all of the cardinals will participate at this meeting actually agree with that. Cardinal McCarrick of Washington has said that Cardinal Law should be given a chance to repair the mistake -- back to you, Leon.

HARRIS: Alessio Vinci reporting live from Rome -- thank you very much, Alessio -- Daryn.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And while this controversy has now moved to the Vatican, still very much a topic in Boston, where Cardinal Bernard Law leads the way for Catholics. Let's check in with our Jason Carroll, who is standing by in Boston once again this morning -- Jason, good morning.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Daryn. As you might imagine, the calls for Cardinal Law's resignation continue here in Boston. Yesterday, Cardinal Law gave mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. It was the first time that he had been seen publicly in two weeks. There were a number of protesters who gathered in front of the cathedral to protest against Cardinal Law. They are calling for his resignation.

During the mass, Cardinal Law said that he wished he could turn back the clock and undue all of the harm that has been caused to children. Those words did resonate with those who support the cardinal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thought it was very meaningful. I think the cardinal is very sorry for what happened. It was a part of the culture of the church, but realize now it was wrong. He admitted he made a mistake, and I think the church is going to emerge much stronger.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am not sure that I particularly support the way he has handled this, but I continue to pray that God lead him in a way that allows him to be forgiven as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP) CARROLL: Cardinal Law called the crisis a -- quote -- "wakeup call for the church" He also says that, Daryn, despite all of the anger that seems to be out there against him, he plans to keep working as hard as he can to address this crisis-- Daryn.

KAGAN: Jason, there is a concern among some that some people are using this to address the situation with child abuse. But others, more liberal factions of the church are trying to use this for total church reform. Are you seeing that in some of the protests in Boston?

CARROLL: You really hear calls for both, to be quite honest. I mean, you hear those who say the church needs to have some sort of a national standard, some sort of national policy addressing this issue. You hear others who say that perhaps in terms of reform, the church will look at other things such as celibacy. So you really hear the celibacy issue. You hear people on both sides of the issue really staking claim to this -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Jason Carroll in Boston -- Jason. thank you.

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