Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Interview With Raymond Flynn, Former U.S. Ambassador to Vatican
Aired June 30, 2003 - 08:39 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The Vatican has reportedly decided who will replace former Cardinal Bernard Law as Boston's archbishop. According to the "National Catholic Reporter," Sean Patrick O'Malley, the bishop of Palm Beach, Florida, will be appointed to head the huge Boston Archdiocese.
Raymond Flynn, former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, as well as a former mayor of Boston, is with us now live this morning from Boston.
Thank you so much, Mr. Ambassador, for being here.
RAYMOND FLYNN, FORMER AMBASSADOR TO THE VATICAN: Good morning, Heidi.
COLLINS: Is Sean Patrick O'Malley a good choice for this position?
FLYNN: I think it's an extraordinary choice. There are two words that describe the need here in Boston, and one word that describes Sean O'Malley. The two needs in Boston, one is "healing" and "unity," healing for the victims and unity for the Catholic faithful of Boston. The one word that describes Sean O'Malley is "trustworthy." He is exactly what the Archdiocese of Boston needs. He's had a track record of dealing with clergy sex abuse cases in the past. And most people who will be interviewed will say that he's a very trustworthy man.
So, you might say this is a godsend to Boston, or you might even say this is a Massachusetts miracle. Whatever the words, I think this is a very good decision by the holy father for Bishop Sean Patrick O'Malley.
COLLINS: You mentioned healing. Will Sean Patrick O'Malley be able to restore faith in a church that was lost, or at least questioned by many Catholics in that area?
FLYNN: Well, the Catholic faithful, of course, love their religion, they love their faith and they were shaken, of course, because of what has happened. And like everything else, it will take time. But the perfect ingredient for dealing with this issue is dealing with the victims, and No. 2 is to make sure that the Catholic faithful are listened to. They're brought into the process.
And a person who can do that is somebody who is not looking for headlines, not looking for attention, but somebody who sincerely is concerned about everybody and somebody that they trust. And this is the record of Sean Patrick O'Malley. I've known him both here in Massachusetts and at the Vatican, and as a Franciscan priest, his record of working with the Portuguese fishermen down in Fall River.
In fact, I wrote about this in my book, "The Accidental Pope." He's a man of just extraordinary character. He won't be the man who's looking for a center of attention or publicity. He'll just effectively administer the drug.
COLLINS: But, Mr. Ambassador, does he have experience dealing with sexual abuse cases?
FLYNN: Well, it's interesting -- an interesting question. One, he dealt with that issue, that very issue, following the Father Porter case in Fall River. And I think most people will say he did an extraordinary job. And because of that outstanding job that he did, he then was reassigned by the holy father to the Diocese of Palm Beach, because they had a similar problem. And that was only a short while ago. And those people who said that he wouldn't come to Boston only said that because of the fact that he was recently assigned to Palm Beach.
I said, seven, eight months ago that my first choice, and I think one of the leading choices of the holy father, would be Bishop Sean Patrick O'Malley, despite the fact that he has just been recently assigned to the Diocese of Palm Beach. And, in fact, I said right here on CNN that it would be on the Feast of Saint Peter and Paul; I'm one day late.
COLLINS: Raymond Flynn, a former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, as well as former mayor of Boston, thank you so much for your insight on this new decision.
FLYNN: It's good to be with 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.
Vatican>
Aired June 30, 2003 - 08:39 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The Vatican has reportedly decided who will replace former Cardinal Bernard Law as Boston's archbishop. According to the "National Catholic Reporter," Sean Patrick O'Malley, the bishop of Palm Beach, Florida, will be appointed to head the huge Boston Archdiocese.
Raymond Flynn, former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, as well as a former mayor of Boston, is with us now live this morning from Boston.
Thank you so much, Mr. Ambassador, for being here.
RAYMOND FLYNN, FORMER AMBASSADOR TO THE VATICAN: Good morning, Heidi.
COLLINS: Is Sean Patrick O'Malley a good choice for this position?
FLYNN: I think it's an extraordinary choice. There are two words that describe the need here in Boston, and one word that describes Sean O'Malley. The two needs in Boston, one is "healing" and "unity," healing for the victims and unity for the Catholic faithful of Boston. The one word that describes Sean O'Malley is "trustworthy." He is exactly what the Archdiocese of Boston needs. He's had a track record of dealing with clergy sex abuse cases in the past. And most people who will be interviewed will say that he's a very trustworthy man.
So, you might say this is a godsend to Boston, or you might even say this is a Massachusetts miracle. Whatever the words, I think this is a very good decision by the holy father for Bishop Sean Patrick O'Malley.
COLLINS: You mentioned healing. Will Sean Patrick O'Malley be able to restore faith in a church that was lost, or at least questioned by many Catholics in that area?
FLYNN: Well, the Catholic faithful, of course, love their religion, they love their faith and they were shaken, of course, because of what has happened. And like everything else, it will take time. But the perfect ingredient for dealing with this issue is dealing with the victims, and No. 2 is to make sure that the Catholic faithful are listened to. They're brought into the process.
And a person who can do that is somebody who is not looking for headlines, not looking for attention, but somebody who sincerely is concerned about everybody and somebody that they trust. And this is the record of Sean Patrick O'Malley. I've known him both here in Massachusetts and at the Vatican, and as a Franciscan priest, his record of working with the Portuguese fishermen down in Fall River.
In fact, I wrote about this in my book, "The Accidental Pope." He's a man of just extraordinary character. He won't be the man who's looking for a center of attention or publicity. He'll just effectively administer the drug.
COLLINS: But, Mr. Ambassador, does he have experience dealing with sexual abuse cases?
FLYNN: Well, it's interesting -- an interesting question. One, he dealt with that issue, that very issue, following the Father Porter case in Fall River. And I think most people will say he did an extraordinary job. And because of that outstanding job that he did, he then was reassigned by the holy father to the Diocese of Palm Beach, because they had a similar problem. And that was only a short while ago. And those people who said that he wouldn't come to Boston only said that because of the fact that he was recently assigned to Palm Beach.
I said, seven, eight months ago that my first choice, and I think one of the leading choices of the holy father, would be Bishop Sean Patrick O'Malley, despite the fact that he has just been recently assigned to the Diocese of Palm Beach. And, in fact, I said right here on CNN that it would be on the Feast of Saint Peter and Paul; I'm one day late.
COLLINS: Raymond Flynn, a former U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, as well as former mayor of Boston, thank you so much for your insight on this new decision.
FLYNN: It's good to be with 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.
Vatican>
