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Resignation of Boston's Cardinal Law
Aired December 13, 2002 - 14:32 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: And for victims, alleged victims, and advocates of victims, of the sex-abuse scandal in the Catholic Church of Boston, today's resignation of Cardinal Law changes everything and nothing. Law's legions of critics are responding to his departure with a mixture of relief and despondence.
And our coverage begins with CNN's Boston's Bureau Chief Bill Delaney.
BILL DELANEY, CNN BOSTON BUREAU CHIEF: Thanks, Kyra.
You said it well. There are mixed emotions here. Everyone feels relief. But the big question is what happens next and how deep will the change be. The laity, the Catholic in the pew here, demands now more democracy in this church, and the church is an institution that's profoundly undemocratic.
Relief, relief for Cardinal Law himself. Let's listen to the first line of the text of his statement. He said, "I am profoundly grateful to the holy father for having accepted my resignation as archbishop of Boston." Relief for Cardinal Law after the ordeal of the past 11 months. : And he goes on to say, "To all those who have suffered from my shortcomings and mistakes, I both apologize and from them beg forgiveness. To the bishops, priests, deacons, religious and laity with whom I have been privileged to work in our efforts to fulfill the church's mission, I express my deep gratitude."
Now, Kyra, as you said, as we began our conversation here, there's relief, but there is also a fierce undercurrent of anger still in this archdiocese. It was represented most dramatically at a press conference with victims of sexual abuse. The man who spoke for them, as he has for many, many, often lonely years now, Attorney Mitchell Garabedian.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITCHELL GARABEDIAN, ATTORNEY FOR ALLEGED VICTIMS: That sends a message not only to the victims, not only to parishioners, not only to non-Catholics and Catholics alike, but it sends a victim to all the other supervisors. You know who you are. You have to look within yourself to make a determination as to whether you should also resign.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DELANEY: Nothing was feared more in the Vatican than what Mitchell Garabedian was just talking about, that a resignation by Cardinal Law could be a house of cards that could bring down others in the hierarchy throughout the American church.
Now, the Vatican has appointed what's called an "apostolic administrator." The man who will try to carry this archdiocese through the next several months is Father Richard Lennon. He is an auxiliary bishop already here in Boston. He is not expected to be named, ultimately, Cardinal Law's successor, but will administer this diocese in the coming months, months that will mean -- months that will contain continuing legal proceedings here in Boston and all over the country. And as Mitchell Garabedian said, continuing pressure on other archbishops, other bishops, and other priests to possibly resign their posts, too, now that the senior cardinal in the United States has resigned -- Kyra.
Bill Delaney, thank you.
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 13, 2002 - 14:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: And for victims, alleged victims, and advocates of victims, of the sex-abuse scandal in the Catholic Church of Boston, today's resignation of Cardinal Law changes everything and nothing. Law's legions of critics are responding to his departure with a mixture of relief and despondence.
And our coverage begins with CNN's Boston's Bureau Chief Bill Delaney.
BILL DELANEY, CNN BOSTON BUREAU CHIEF: Thanks, Kyra.
You said it well. There are mixed emotions here. Everyone feels relief. But the big question is what happens next and how deep will the change be. The laity, the Catholic in the pew here, demands now more democracy in this church, and the church is an institution that's profoundly undemocratic.
Relief, relief for Cardinal Law himself. Let's listen to the first line of the text of his statement. He said, "I am profoundly grateful to the holy father for having accepted my resignation as archbishop of Boston." Relief for Cardinal Law after the ordeal of the past 11 months. : And he goes on to say, "To all those who have suffered from my shortcomings and mistakes, I both apologize and from them beg forgiveness. To the bishops, priests, deacons, religious and laity with whom I have been privileged to work in our efforts to fulfill the church's mission, I express my deep gratitude."
Now, Kyra, as you said, as we began our conversation here, there's relief, but there is also a fierce undercurrent of anger still in this archdiocese. It was represented most dramatically at a press conference with victims of sexual abuse. The man who spoke for them, as he has for many, many, often lonely years now, Attorney Mitchell Garabedian.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITCHELL GARABEDIAN, ATTORNEY FOR ALLEGED VICTIMS: That sends a message not only to the victims, not only to parishioners, not only to non-Catholics and Catholics alike, but it sends a victim to all the other supervisors. You know who you are. You have to look within yourself to make a determination as to whether you should also resign.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DELANEY: Nothing was feared more in the Vatican than what Mitchell Garabedian was just talking about, that a resignation by Cardinal Law could be a house of cards that could bring down others in the hierarchy throughout the American church.
Now, the Vatican has appointed what's called an "apostolic administrator." The man who will try to carry this archdiocese through the next several months is Father Richard Lennon. He is an auxiliary bishop already here in Boston. He is not expected to be named, ultimately, Cardinal Law's successor, but will administer this diocese in the coming months, months that will mean -- months that will contain continuing legal proceedings here in Boston and all over the country. And as Mitchell Garabedian said, continuing pressure on other archbishops, other bishops, and other priests to possibly resign their posts, too, now that the senior cardinal in the United States has resigned -- Kyra.
Bill Delaney, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
