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'Boston Herald' Reports Cardinal Law Will Be Moved to Vatican
Aired April 26, 2002 - 13:05 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: The meeting of U.S. cardinals at the Vatican has now ended, but the controversy surrounding the Catholic Church appears far from over. Jason Carroll back in Boston with the latest chapter today. Jason, good afternoon.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good afternoon to you, Bill. There has been a lot of speculation about Boston's Cardinal Bernard Law and whether or not he would resign. Now the "Boston Herald" is reporting that it is likely that Cardinal Law will be reassigned and given a new position at the Vatican. The paper reports if it does happen, it's likely that it would happen sometime before June. That way, Cardinal Law wouldn't have to be deposed in a civil suit involving Father Paul Shanley.
Also, this morning I did speak with the spokesperson at the Archdiocese of Boston, Donna Morrissey. She told me that she has not seen this report and, therefore, she says it would be inappropriate for her to comment on it.
Yesterday there was another development here in Boston as well. More documents were released regarding Father Paul Shanley. This as Cardinal Law tries to rebuild his credibility.
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CARROLL (voice-over): Boston's embattled Cardinal Bernard Law is back from the Vatican meetings and will have to face new troubles here at home. The Archdiocese of Boston released new documents relating to Father Paul Shanley, an accused sex abuser. There are about 800 pages, which archdiocese officials said they overlooked.
REV. CHRISTOPHER COYNE, BOSTON ARCHDIOCESE: It's terribly embarrassing to come out and say this that at this late a date they found files like that.
CARROLL: The files include some of Shanley's writings on subjects such as counseling the young about how to take drugs without overdosing. He writes, quote, "much of my life these last few years has been choosing not between good of evil, but the lesser of the two evils. My God, I've taught kids to shoot up properly."
Another page is entitled "Venereal Disease." Shanley says, quote, "one of the first things I do in a new city is to sign up at the local clinic for help with my VD." The documents do not indicate how he would have contracted such a disease or whether he got it before priesthood.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But these are the writings of a perverted monster who was sent out into the field unsupervised to be with alienated youth, with children.
CARROLL: The documents also show clergy were warned about Shanley and allegations. He spoke at the opening session of NAMBLA, the Northern American Man/Boy Love Association.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the church that we're talking about. It is the most twisted story. If I read it, I wouldn't believe it.
CARROLL: It was fallout from the Shanley documents released a few weeks ago that sparked calls for Cardinal Law's resignation. Those documents showed Law and other clergy moved Shanley from parish to parish, despite accusations of sexual abuse.
It's unclear how the new documents will affect Boston's archbishop, who has pledged to address the crisis as long as God gives him the opportunity to do so.
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CARROLL: Shanley's co-counsel says that he has not seen any of these new documents, and therefore, he cannot comment on their contents.
Shanley has never commented publicly on any of the allegations that he is facing. In fact, he hasn't been seen or heard of in weeks -- Bill.
HEMMER: Thanks. Appreciate that.
The writings of retired Priest Paul Shanley emerge as U.S. cardinals return from their meeting with the pope in Rome. They are now in Philadelphia for a Catholic fund-raiser. So too is Maria Hinojosa with that angle of the story. Maria, good afternoon, again, to you.
MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Bill. The six cardinals are expected to attend what's called "The American Cardinals' Dinner" here in Philadelphia. Clearly, the atmosphere quite different from this dinner. It's been held for the past 13 years, but quite different atmosphere than from any year before.
Now, those six cardinals will include Cardinal Law, who is reportedly here in Philadelphia. It will also include Cardinal Egan from New York, the cardinals from Chicago, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
There are reports that there are divisions emerging among these cardinals over several issues -- the future of Cardinal Law: who to report sexually abusive priests to, to Catholic Church or to legal authorities; whether all abuse priests should be reported or only serial abusers; and what the definition is of a "one strike and you're out" policy.
Now those comments -- we have comments from Cardinal Bevilacqua from here in Philadelphia. He spoke about that upon his return from Rome last night.
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CARDINAL ANTHONY BEVILACQUA, PHILADELPHIA ARCHDIOCESE: The one- strike policy, that word has been used a lot, and zero tolerance. You have to understand there are different meanings to that. We certainly -- there's one level is that some diocese have it, that even with one act of misconduct you're removed from any assignment or ministry in which children might be involved, or even youths. And you're taken out permanently from that.
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HINOJOSA: Now, there will be a news conference expected here at about 2:45. Cardinal Law is not expected to attend. And a mass at 4:00 where he is expected to attend.
We are -- we have reports that about 800 people are expected to come to this dinner tonight. And even though the controversy in the church continues, they are saying they've had no cancellations -- Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Maria, thank you. Maria Hinojosa again, in Philadelphia.
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