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CNN Live At Daybreak
Talk of CNN: Priest Sex Abuse Scandal
Aired December 17, 2002 - 05:17 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's turn now and talk more about the priest sex abuse scandal. Cardinal Bernard Law, as I said, has offered another apology and has asked forgiveness for his role in the Catholic Church crisis. It's his first public comments since resigning as archbishop of Boston last week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARDINAL BERNARD LAW, FORMER BOSTON ARCHBISHOP: The course of events in recent months has certainly been different than anything I or others would have predicted on the occasion of my installation more than 18 years ago. To all those who have suffered from my shortcomings and from my mistakes, I once again apologize and from them I beg forgiveness.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Cardinal Law says he'll take a vacation and then he'll spend some time in a monastery.
So how are the people in Boston reacting to the cardinal's apology and his resignation? That's a question for the Morning Show crew at Boston's Star 93.7 radio station, WQSX.
Good morning.
RALPHIE, STAR 93.7 RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Hey, Carol, how are you this morning?
COSTELLO: I'm good.
Is Boston still reeling from this?
RALPHIE: Well, I've got to tell you, I was just watching the clip of Cardinal Law speaking and when we had the press conference yesterday, you were thinking this is going to end, all right, come clean. And then all of a sudden voom, walks away.
KAREN, STAR 93.7 RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Yes, he wasn't about to take any questions. There was no way.
RALPHIE: Up in arms. Up in arms still. I think as everyone thought it was going to calm down, it's just starting to heat up again.
COSTELLO: Oh, you mean at the press conference he left without taking questions from reporters. RALPHIE: Yes.
COSTELLO: Well, might that be because of legal reasons?
RALPHIE: You know, maybe so, but I don't know, to me -- and I'm just on the outside looking in on this one -- I, something, it just still seems so darned fishy.
KAREN: You know what it is, though, Carol? This is just the tip of the iceberg. I mean, yes, there was a little solace to the fact that he, you know, he's stepping down. But there are over a hundred priests that have been accused of sexual abuse of minors. This is just the beginning. There's so much more that's going to be let out now.
COSTELLO: Has his apology resonated at all with the people of Boston?
RALPHIE: I think, honestly, I think some of the older people in town are a little more forgiving of the cardinal because they've seen him since he came here. But I think the younger generation that the Catholics really need to woo to keep this church viable in this town are kind of like well, you need to say a little more, pal. You need to do a little more.
COSTELLO: Yes, you know, and you have to wonder, some of the people who served under him, like the bishops, who also knew about the sex abuse, you know, allegations and didn't do anything about them, you have to believe that they will be in legal trouble, too.
RALPHIE: Well, it's funny you say that because there could be something cooking up in Manchester, New Hampshire with the bishop of New Hampshire. He knew about this stuff and now he's kind of saying I knew this and I knew that and he's down in Boston and he was testifying yesterday. So I think the scene is going to shift a little bit. I think something is going to happen up in New Hampshire in the next couple of days. This guy's going to come clean, too.
COSTELLO: Yes, and really the sad part of all of this is this is going to go on for quite some time and the Catholic religion itself is taking so many hits because of this scandal.
RALPHIE: And that's, and you feel bad for the average churchgoing person...
KAREN: Right.
RALPHIE: ... who just wants to go worship, that they're having to deal with all this stuff. And, you know, you never think of the politics of religion, that it would get this big.
KAREN: I mean they just did a poll that said 50 percent -- 52 percent of the people have lost faith in the church.
COSTELLO: Oh, OK, on that note we must bid you adieu.
Thanks so much for joining us this morning.
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 17, 2002 - 05:17 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's turn now and talk more about the priest sex abuse scandal. Cardinal Bernard Law, as I said, has offered another apology and has asked forgiveness for his role in the Catholic Church crisis. It's his first public comments since resigning as archbishop of Boston last week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARDINAL BERNARD LAW, FORMER BOSTON ARCHBISHOP: The course of events in recent months has certainly been different than anything I or others would have predicted on the occasion of my installation more than 18 years ago. To all those who have suffered from my shortcomings and from my mistakes, I once again apologize and from them I beg forgiveness.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Cardinal Law says he'll take a vacation and then he'll spend some time in a monastery.
So how are the people in Boston reacting to the cardinal's apology and his resignation? That's a question for the Morning Show crew at Boston's Star 93.7 radio station, WQSX.
Good morning.
RALPHIE, STAR 93.7 RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Hey, Carol, how are you this morning?
COSTELLO: I'm good.
Is Boston still reeling from this?
RALPHIE: Well, I've got to tell you, I was just watching the clip of Cardinal Law speaking and when we had the press conference yesterday, you were thinking this is going to end, all right, come clean. And then all of a sudden voom, walks away.
KAREN, STAR 93.7 RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Yes, he wasn't about to take any questions. There was no way.
RALPHIE: Up in arms. Up in arms still. I think as everyone thought it was going to calm down, it's just starting to heat up again.
COSTELLO: Oh, you mean at the press conference he left without taking questions from reporters. RALPHIE: Yes.
COSTELLO: Well, might that be because of legal reasons?
RALPHIE: You know, maybe so, but I don't know, to me -- and I'm just on the outside looking in on this one -- I, something, it just still seems so darned fishy.
KAREN: You know what it is, though, Carol? This is just the tip of the iceberg. I mean, yes, there was a little solace to the fact that he, you know, he's stepping down. But there are over a hundred priests that have been accused of sexual abuse of minors. This is just the beginning. There's so much more that's going to be let out now.
COSTELLO: Has his apology resonated at all with the people of Boston?
RALPHIE: I think, honestly, I think some of the older people in town are a little more forgiving of the cardinal because they've seen him since he came here. But I think the younger generation that the Catholics really need to woo to keep this church viable in this town are kind of like well, you need to say a little more, pal. You need to do a little more.
COSTELLO: Yes, you know, and you have to wonder, some of the people who served under him, like the bishops, who also knew about the sex abuse, you know, allegations and didn't do anything about them, you have to believe that they will be in legal trouble, too.
RALPHIE: Well, it's funny you say that because there could be something cooking up in Manchester, New Hampshire with the bishop of New Hampshire. He knew about this stuff and now he's kind of saying I knew this and I knew that and he's down in Boston and he was testifying yesterday. So I think the scene is going to shift a little bit. I think something is going to happen up in New Hampshire in the next couple of days. This guy's going to come clean, too.
COSTELLO: Yes, and really the sad part of all of this is this is going to go on for quite some time and the Catholic religion itself is taking so many hits because of this scandal.
RALPHIE: And that's, and you feel bad for the average churchgoing person...
KAREN: Right.
RALPHIE: ... who just wants to go worship, that they're having to deal with all this stuff. And, you know, you never think of the politics of religion, that it would get this big.
KAREN: I mean they just did a poll that said 50 percent -- 52 percent of the people have lost faith in the church.
COSTELLO: Oh, OK, on that note we must bid you adieu.
Thanks so much for joining us this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
