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CNN Live Today

American Cardinals Gather for Annual Dinner

Aired April 26, 2002 - 12:08   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: A day after returning from Rome, American cardinals are gathering in Philadelphia for the annual Cardinal's Dinner. Unlike previous years, the event largely will be overshadowed by the widening sexual abuse scandal. And reports now that Cardinal Law will be reassigned to the Vatican possibly in the fall, Maria Hinojosa now live in Philly with more on this. Maria, good afternoon.

MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Bill. Today's dinner is $1,000 a plate dinner. It will raise money for Catholic University in Washington, D.C. About 800 people are expected to attend from across the country. Also in attendance, six American cardinals were together earlier this week at the meeting in the Vatican with the Pope. That meeting, of course, failing to resolve the sex scandal, failing to come up with a clear cut zero tolerance statement about what to do with sexually abusive priests.

Now it appears there are some divisions among some of these cardinals expected here in Philadelphia later today over several issues. Among them, the future of Cardinal Law from Boston, and also what to do with or without a one strike and you're out policy for sexually abusive priests. Now here, Cardinal Bevalaqua (ph) from Philadelphia has made it clear what his position is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARDINAL BEVALAQUA, ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA: Since 1993, we've had a written policy and we can assure our people here in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia that, as far as I know at the present moment, there is no priest in any parish or in any ministry whatsoever who has been credibly accused of misconduct with a minor.

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HINOJOSA: Now what's not clear is whether or not this sex scandal in the church will become a financial crisis for the church. This event is expected to raise about a million dollars for Catholic University, but critics of the church have said the one way they can let the church know that they're upset is by withholding their money. Bill.

HEMMER: Maria, thanks. Maria Hinojosa there in Philadelphia. Newly-released documents providing a glimpse into the sordid past of a former Boston priest at the center of the church abuse scandal. The Boston Archdiocese has turned over excerpts from Reverend Paul Shanley's diary. In it, Shanley admits having venereal disease and teaching kids how to use drugs. The documents also indicate the church knew Shanley advocated sex between men and boys.

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