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CNN Sunday Morning

Remarks by Cardinal Bernard Law

Aired April 28, 2002 - 11:09   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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Earlier this week, 12 of the U.S. cardinals were at the Vatican meeting for a first-time summit with the Pope there on the troubles involving the Catholic Church and alleged sexual abuse cases, and convictions of sexual abuse cases. Among those that was in the hot seat, Cardinal Bernard Law out of Boston. We want to go now to his mass being as it is happening right now at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross there and listen in on his remarks.

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CARDINAL BERNARD LAW, ARCHDIOCESE OF BOSTON: ... which would have a more binding force than would ordinarily be the case with actions of this kind by the Conference of Bishops.

As you know, each individual bishop is responsible for his diocese, and the Conference of Bishops, we come together and we help one another to the extent that we can, but we ordinarily do not have the authority to issue binding decisions, and for that to take place, we have to have the concurrence of the Holy Sea.

And so, one of the things that we spoke about was our conviction as American cardinals, that it would be a good thing if we could, in June, hopefully in June, come up with what we would consider to be a wise set of guidelines that would need to be implemented throughout the country and then, we would want to submit that to Rome to get approval for that, so that it would be, it would have binding force, and that was one of the things that we decided to do.

The Holy Father gave a very beautiful message to us. It was a very encouraging message. It was a very realistic message, and I came back from that meeting very, very encouraged that we're moving in the right direction.

There's been some discussion in the press about the question of zero tolerance. I just want to make it clear that the diocese, the Archdiocese of Boston has already implemented a policy in which one allegation that is a credible allegation concerning the sexual abuse of a child would indicate for us that that person could not have an assignment in the archdiocese, and as a matter of fact, no one does, that we know of. Anyone that we know of, against whom a credible allegation has been made, is not serving in any way in a position in this archdiocese. I ask you to continue your prayers for us as we all together deal with this issue. I ask you to pray in a particular way that, as we gather in June, that meeting will be a meeting of great significance for this issue, for the handling of this issue.

We also suggested that it would be good for us to have a day, a special day of prayer and I'm hoping that we can focus on a novena for Pentecost in the archdiocese. We will be saying more about that later, but the focus, the archdiocesan focus will be that the Basilica of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help, mother of perpetual help, and I will be participating in a novena in that location.

WHITFIELD: You've been watching the first mass led by Cardinal Bernard Law in Boston since returning from the Vatican after a meeting, or unprecedented meetings with 11 other U.S. cardinals across this country, meeting with Pope John Paul II. He is for the first time this morning facing parishioners at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston.

He said that the church, the Catholic Church, is moving in the right direction and he asked for all of their prayers a the cardinals and bishops and priests across the country are about to converge at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Priests or Bishops, rather, in Dallas come June. He says that they will have a special day of prayer and they're asking, of course, for the forgiveness and prayers from all the parishioners.

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