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CNN Live Today

Report of Possible Reassignment of Boston Archbishop Bernard Law

Aired April 26, 2002 - 10:06   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: First up this hour on CNN, a report of the possible reassignment of Boston archbishop Bernard Law.

Our Jason Carroll is in Boston with the latest.

Jason, good morning.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Daryn.

Well, you know, there has been a lot of speculation floating around about cardinal Law during the last few weeks, and now "The Boston Herald" is reported it is likely that Law will be reassigned and given some sort of a position at the Vatican. The paper is reporting that if this does indeed happen, it is likely that it will happen by June. That way, Law will not have to be deposed in a civil suit involving father Paul Shanley, an accused sex abuser.

This morning, Daryn, I did have an opportunity to speak with Donna Morsey. She is spokeswoman at the archdiocese of Boston, and she told me that she had not seen the report, and therefore, she said it would be inappropriate for her to speculate on anything about that report.

Yesterday, there was another development here in Boston. The archdiocese of Boston released some 800 documents relating to father Paul Shanley. Those documentations included more allegations that Shanley favored sex between men and boys, and those documents also included more warnings about Shanley's behaviors.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ERICK MACLEISH, ALLEGED VICTIM'S ATTORNEY: These are the writings of a perverted monster sent out into the field unsupervised to be with alienated youth, with children.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: Shanley's co-counsel told CNN he has not seen these new documents, and therefore, he could not comment on the contents of those documents. Shanley has never responded to any of the allegations against him. He has not been seen for weeks -- Daryn. KAGAN: Jason, tell me a little bit more about this meeting that's to take place in June in Dallas. A lot of folks who weren't happy with what came out of the Vatican this week hoping that some more sever changes are made in policy in the Catholic church, at least the U.S. part of the church.

CARROLL: Well,the meeting that you are talking about is going to be taking place in June with the National Conference of Bishops. What is hoped is that sometime during this meeting, they can sort of hammer out more of the details, and the guidance that they were given coming out of the meetings with the Vatican.

Another note about cardinal Law, in this article of "The Boston Herald," it does refer to that meeting in June, and apparently, some -- their unnamed sources that they quoted in this article said that part of the reason they wanted to reassign cardinal Law is because they did not want him to be involved in those meetings. That way the focus would be off cardinal Law and on reforming the church -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Jason Carroll, in Boston, thank you.

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