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Boston Area Priests Calling for Cardinal Law to Quit

Aired December 10, 2002 - 11:18   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: Some 58 Boston-area priests are calling for Cardinal Law to quit, following these new revelations. John Allen is the CNN Vatican Analyst and he joins us from Rome this morning with more on all of that. John, thank you for talking with us about this. Let us know what you've learned about what is happening there with Cardinal Law. Has he had a chance yet to meet with the pope, Do you know?
JOHN ALLEN, CNN VATICAN ANALYSTS: It has not happened yet, Leon. It is anticipated that it will happen sometime before the end of the week. He's expected to fly back to the States, probably, on Friday. Certainly, he'll want to be there for mass at the Cathedral in Boston on Sunday. He, of course, missed last week and it's almost unthinkable he would do that two weeks in a row.

Officially speaking, the Vatican hasn't been telling us very much. They've simply confirmed that he's here and that he's going to be discussing different aspects of the situation in Boston.

What we know, unofficially, is that there are at least two really big picture questions on the agenda. The first is the possibility that the dioceses of Boston might have to go into bankruptcy. And what that might mean for the sum of $1.3 billion worth of assets that it controls.

And the other, of course, is, you know, Cardinal Law's own personal future. As you say, there are a lot of theories flying around Rome. One is that he may not be able to get out of this, without resigning. Another is that the pope might appoint what's called a coadjutor bishop. That's somebody who would actually take over some of his powers. And in this case, it would almost certainly be in personnel and finance, which is the heart of this crisis.

You know, a third possibility, of course, is they may yet -- they're hoping, I think, there still is hope that he may yet find a way to ride out the crisis. I spoke to a Vatican official this morning who told me that nothing is yet decided. All of these options are on the table.

HARRIS: All right. So if nothing is decided, is there any way to indicate exactly or to learn where the Vatican may be leaning at this particular point? As I understand it, Cardinal Law has offered his resignation before in the past and that was actually turned down and we're also hearing this report this morning about some 58 priests in the Boston area who are now -- have signed a petition saying that they want Cardinal Law out of that. Is that going to hold any sway at all... ALLEN: Yes.

HARRIS: ...there in Rome?

ALLEN: Yes. Let me tell you, Leon, there have been very few developments in this story that I have heard more about from Vatican officials than that letter signed by 58 priests, because when a bishop's own priests are not just whispering against him, but openly signing a document calling for his resignation, that is viewed with extreme seriousness here. So I think that certainly has gotten people's attention.

But you asked which way is the Vatican leaning. The Vatican's preference all along has been for Law to stay where he is, if there's any to pull that off. And on the grounds that it's not -- this story isn't just about law. There are a number of other bishops, both in the United States and other countries, that face similar sort of charges and the fear is that if Law were to go down, that a number of them might be sort of sucked along in his undertow.

In addition to which, there's a strong body of opinion in the Vatican, and I think this also includes very much the pope personally, that believes that resignation, in a way, would be too easy. You know, from their point of view, you know, the life of a retired Cardinal is a fairly easy one, and I think their strong bias would be he ought to stay where he is and clean up the mess. Now, whether or not that's a stance that's going to be satisfying to Catholics in Boston is, of course, another question.

HARRIS: Yes, exactly, exactly. John Allen in Rome. Thanks, John. Appreciate it. Take care. Very interesting.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired December 10, 2002 - 11:18   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Some 58 Boston-area priests are calling for Cardinal Law to quit, following these new revelations. John Allen is the CNN Vatican Analyst and he joins us from Rome this morning with more on all of that. John, thank you for talking with us about this. Let us know what you've learned about what is happening there with Cardinal Law. Has he had a chance yet to meet with the pope, Do you know?
JOHN ALLEN, CNN VATICAN ANALYSTS: It has not happened yet, Leon. It is anticipated that it will happen sometime before the end of the week. He's expected to fly back to the States, probably, on Friday. Certainly, he'll want to be there for mass at the Cathedral in Boston on Sunday. He, of course, missed last week and it's almost unthinkable he would do that two weeks in a row.

Officially speaking, the Vatican hasn't been telling us very much. They've simply confirmed that he's here and that he's going to be discussing different aspects of the situation in Boston.

What we know, unofficially, is that there are at least two really big picture questions on the agenda. The first is the possibility that the dioceses of Boston might have to go into bankruptcy. And what that might mean for the sum of $1.3 billion worth of assets that it controls.

And the other, of course, is, you know, Cardinal Law's own personal future. As you say, there are a lot of theories flying around Rome. One is that he may not be able to get out of this, without resigning. Another is that the pope might appoint what's called a coadjutor bishop. That's somebody who would actually take over some of his powers. And in this case, it would almost certainly be in personnel and finance, which is the heart of this crisis.

You know, a third possibility, of course, is they may yet -- they're hoping, I think, there still is hope that he may yet find a way to ride out the crisis. I spoke to a Vatican official this morning who told me that nothing is yet decided. All of these options are on the table.

HARRIS: All right. So if nothing is decided, is there any way to indicate exactly or to learn where the Vatican may be leaning at this particular point? As I understand it, Cardinal Law has offered his resignation before in the past and that was actually turned down and we're also hearing this report this morning about some 58 priests in the Boston area who are now -- have signed a petition saying that they want Cardinal Law out of that. Is that going to hold any sway at all... ALLEN: Yes.

HARRIS: ...there in Rome?

ALLEN: Yes. Let me tell you, Leon, there have been very few developments in this story that I have heard more about from Vatican officials than that letter signed by 58 priests, because when a bishop's own priests are not just whispering against him, but openly signing a document calling for his resignation, that is viewed with extreme seriousness here. So I think that certainly has gotten people's attention.

But you asked which way is the Vatican leaning. The Vatican's preference all along has been for Law to stay where he is, if there's any to pull that off. And on the grounds that it's not -- this story isn't just about law. There are a number of other bishops, both in the United States and other countries, that face similar sort of charges and the fear is that if Law were to go down, that a number of them might be sort of sucked along in his undertow.

In addition to which, there's a strong body of opinion in the Vatican, and I think this also includes very much the pope personally, that believes that resignation, in a way, would be too easy. You know, from their point of view, you know, the life of a retired Cardinal is a fairly easy one, and I think their strong bias would be he ought to stay where he is and clean up the mess. Now, whether or not that's a stance that's going to be satisfying to Catholics in Boston is, of course, another question.

HARRIS: Yes, exactly, exactly. John Allen in Rome. Thanks, John. Appreciate it. Take care. Very interesting.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com