Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Can Cardinal Law Keep Ignoring Calls for Resignation?

Aired April 15, 2002 - 08:14   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The "Big Question" at this hour, can Boston's Cardinal Law keep ignoring calls for his resignation? The decision by Boston's embattled Cardinal Law to stay on has not quieted the calls for is resignation and hundreds of people are now coming forward saying they were sexually abused by Boston area priests.

What does the future hold for Cardinal Law? Can he continue to be an effective leader?

Joining us now from Boston, Raymond Flynn, the former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican.

Welcome back, Mayor Flynn. Good to see you again.

RAY FLYNN, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR: Good morning, Paula.

ZAHN: Can you give us some insight as to why Cardinal Law has not resigned?

FLYNN: Well, I think a decision is ultimately made by the Holy Father as to what is in the best interests of the Catholic Church, who can bring about the changes and the reforms that are so critically necessary. So what happened in Boston and happened in so many other communities, not only in the United States, but across the world, in terms of clergy sexually abusing minors, will never again happen.

So I think it's a decision that the Holy Father makes based on what's in the best interests of the Catholic Church.

ZAHN: At a time when a lot of his parishioners are waiting for maybe, perhaps, a different answer, we should make it clear the cardinal did not attend mass on Sunday. There were only a quarter of the normal people in the church, dozens of protesters outside. Does that prove to you that the cardinal has lost some of his moral authority?

FLYNN: Well, I'm sure the cardinal attended mass on Sunday. He didn't attend it at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, as he celebrates mass every day.

Paula, while there is a great deal of concern, obviously, for the victims of priests who have sexually abused them, I think what we're seeing now in a lot of these demonstrations and a lot of these protesters, it's taking on a new dimension here. There are a lot of people who want to radically dramatically change the teachings of Jesus Christ in the Catholic Church and I think they see this as an opportunity to really get actively involved in those kind of radical changes that they believe are necessary. Quite frankly, I don't support them, although I do support an opportunity for people to be heard and given a voice, a broader voice in the church.

But I think that's what we're going to see here now. I think we're seeing demonstrations and protests not just about the victims, which we, of course, support, but also about a hidden agenda that is included here, as well.

ZAHN: Well, let's talk about the more obvious agenda. When you said you're sensitive to the victims of sexual abuse, I mean wouldn't you acknowledge that simply what some of these protesters want is an assurance or some sort of plan put in place at the church that would prevent the ability from the church hierarchy to move priests around the parish to parish who have abused children and who have a record of abusing children?

FLYNN: Absolutely, and that's the central point, Paula, that you've identified. And I think that's where faithful Catholics really want to see happen and they want to see a new no tolerance policy so an archbishop or a bishop does not have latitude just to merely refer to sexual abuse by clergy at the hands of minors as a sin or even as a sickness, which, of course, they are, but treat it as a crime and an immediate response would be to refer all these substantial allegations to appropriate law enforcement officials. And I think that's what the Holy Father is demanding from the Catholic Church and he assumes, he believes that Cardinal Law is, because he's got so much of the burden on his shoulders, is the best person to be able to bring about these kind of changes and reform so this never again happens to any other innocent young person.

ZAHN: But let's look at the magnitude of this problem. Yesterday's "Boston Globe" has reported now that there are some 500 people who claim now to have been molested by priests who have retained local law firms. This is just since the beginning of the year. And I guess one of these law firms reports that an average of five new victims a day are coming out. Shed some light on what you think is the specter of the problem here.

FLYNN: Well, they've had a problem in the Catholic Church, Paula, for a long period of time, and it's not just here in the city of Boston, it's all across the country. Yes, there is a problem with pedophile priests. There's no question about it. But that is only the tip of the iceberg. The problem here is a number of priests who have sexually abused, taken advantage of their position to hit on young men, in fact, young boys, some of them who aren't even pre- pubescent.

So there's a real issue here of a culture in the Catholic Church that has taken place over the past 20, 25 years that the Catholic Church has to deal with or they're going to see the continued problems that they're having now be perpetrated.

There is a real challenge for the Catholic Church in terms of dealing with sexually abusive priests, not only in the area of young boys, but young adults, as well.

ZAHN: I know, Mayor Flynn, you made it clear that yesterday while Cardinal Law didn't celebrate mass publicly at the Holy Cross Cathedral, he probably did so privately. But it has also been confirmed now that he has canceled a meeting with the so-called Presbysteria Council, which is a group of priests that serve as his advisers.

What do you make of the cancellation of that meeting?

FLYNN: Well, the Holy, the Holy Father has instructed, I think, the bishops, the United States Catholic bishops when he met with the president of the Conference of Bishops this past week. I think he is urging and ordering the bishops throughout the country to come up with a policy that is going to bring about the kind of fundamental change and reform that is so critically necessary to the church.

They are going to meet, the bishops, the U.S. bishops are going to meet in June in Washington, D.C. And knowing the Holy Father and knowing the Vatican as well as I do, I think they're working around the clock, coming up with a policy that is going to bring about these level of changes and I think they need some real deliberate time to bring about these changes and implement this policy.

So I would assume and I would hope that that's what the bishops of the United States are responding to, the directive and the mandate of Pope John Paul II.

ZAHN: All right, well, Ray Flynn, we always appreciate your coming by to share with all of us your perspective on what you think is going on.

FLYNN: Thank you, Paula. Happy marathon day.

ZAHN: Oh, that, yes, is that going on today? I wish I was there. I covered that with you for so many years when I worked in the Boston market.

FLYNN: Didn't you run it one year?

ZAHN: Patriot's Day.

FLYNN: Didn't you run it?

ZAHN: I forgot all about it.

FLYNN: That's right.

ZAHN: Well, good luck. I hope they got some good weather.

FLYNN: OK.

ZAHN: It's probably a little warm for those real...

FLYNN: It's raining, Paula.

ZAHN: ... world class athletes. It is raining?

FLYNN: It's raining.

ZAHN: Well, that'll bring their temperatures down at the 26 mile mark. All right, well, enjoy the race.

FLYNN: OK, Paula.

ZAHN: Thank you again for your time 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