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CNN Sunday Morning
Law Travels Back to Boston
Aired December 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Are we going to talk about Cardinal Law right now? As you know, Cardinal Law did resign from the Archdiocese of Boston. He is now back in the United States, in fact, in Boston.
So how is the city reacting?
Let's go live to Boston and Bill Delaney -- good morning, Bill.
BILL DELANEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
You know, it was yesterday to Newark International Airport that now former Archbishop Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston returned to the United States, 71 years old, looking haggard and exhausted. People there said he heads off now for an uncertain location. We don't even know actually whether he's back in Boston or even planning to come back to Boston. He said he'll be spending time in thought and prayer and he also said in brief remarks to reporters that he said he had no hatred in his heart for anyone.
Now, in Holy Cross Cathedral behind me, typically on a Sunday, when he was archbishop for 18 years, that's where Cardinal Law would officiate at mass. Instead today, it will be the new apostolic administrator here, Auxiliary Bishop Richard Lennon. He will take over now for Cardinal Law for the next several months at least. He is not expected to be appointed Law's successor. He will take on all administrative duties of the cardinal in this very complicated time for the Archdiocese of Boston.
We do expect remarks in the homily today from Bishop Lennon on the crisis here, a crisis very much ongoing. Cardinal Law himself is scheduled for depositions, pretrial depositions in the civil cases against the Archdiocese of Boston, on Tuesday. Meanwhile, efforts to settle the some 500 claims, civil claims against the Archdiocese of Boston continue. An important report in the "Boston Globe" this morning suggesting that a law firm that councils the Archdiocese has concluded, after a study, that the Archdiocese has at its disposal some $90 million in insurance money that could be used for a settlement of the cases against it.
That's very significant news, because the numbers were thought to be the by church much lower, half of that. Half of that would not have been enough to pay for the cases against the Archdiocese. This could mean that the two sides, the plaintiffs' attorneys, the 500 alleged victims and the church, could be moving closer to a settlement in the next few weeks -- and back to you. COSTELLO: All right, Bill Delaney, we'll be awaiting what is said in that church behind you.
Thanks very much.
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 15, 2002 - 08:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Are we going to talk about Cardinal Law right now? As you know, Cardinal Law did resign from the Archdiocese of Boston. He is now back in the United States, in fact, in Boston.
So how is the city reacting?
Let's go live to Boston and Bill Delaney -- good morning, Bill.
BILL DELANEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
You know, it was yesterday to Newark International Airport that now former Archbishop Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston returned to the United States, 71 years old, looking haggard and exhausted. People there said he heads off now for an uncertain location. We don't even know actually whether he's back in Boston or even planning to come back to Boston. He said he'll be spending time in thought and prayer and he also said in brief remarks to reporters that he said he had no hatred in his heart for anyone.
Now, in Holy Cross Cathedral behind me, typically on a Sunday, when he was archbishop for 18 years, that's where Cardinal Law would officiate at mass. Instead today, it will be the new apostolic administrator here, Auxiliary Bishop Richard Lennon. He will take over now for Cardinal Law for the next several months at least. He is not expected to be appointed Law's successor. He will take on all administrative duties of the cardinal in this very complicated time for the Archdiocese of Boston.
We do expect remarks in the homily today from Bishop Lennon on the crisis here, a crisis very much ongoing. Cardinal Law himself is scheduled for depositions, pretrial depositions in the civil cases against the Archdiocese of Boston, on Tuesday. Meanwhile, efforts to settle the some 500 claims, civil claims against the Archdiocese of Boston continue. An important report in the "Boston Globe" this morning suggesting that a law firm that councils the Archdiocese has concluded, after a study, that the Archdiocese has at its disposal some $90 million in insurance money that could be used for a settlement of the cases against it.
That's very significant news, because the numbers were thought to be the by church much lower, half of that. Half of that would not have been enough to pay for the cases against the Archdiocese. This could mean that the two sides, the plaintiffs' attorneys, the 500 alleged victims and the church, could be moving closer to a settlement in the next few weeks -- and back to you. COSTELLO: All right, Bill Delaney, we'll be awaiting what is said in that church behind you.
Thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
