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CNN Live Sunday
Father Lennon Temporarily Takes Over Boston Archdiocese
Aired December 15, 2002 - 18:42 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 LIN, CNN ANCHOR: According to a published report, the Boston Archdiocese has $90 million in insurance to pay claims by sex abuse victims. That is double the amount previously thought. And it bolsters the argument that paying claims would not bankrupt the church. In Boston, Cardinal Bernard Law's temporary replacement is trying to heal a fractured flock. CNN's Bill Delaney joins us from Boston.
That is a big job indeed, Bill.
BILL DELANEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Very big job. You know, former archbishop and cardinal for life Bernard Law returned to the United States yesterday. He landed at Newark International Airport, not Logan International Airport, no doubt trying to avoid the press.
Now, there was a "Boston Globe" reporter on that flight with the Cardinal, did manage to get just a few questions in to the cardinal. A little bit of a gage of the cardinal's mood. It's certainly all we expect to get for many days. The cardinal is not speaking to reporters, but to the "Boston Globe," he said he's spent -- plans to spend a period of time now in thought and prayer. He pointed out to this reporter that after all, he has got a life -- a lot of life ahead of him.
He is still young, he said. The cardinal is 71. And he said, "I really think that what I have done is best for the church and I have to leave it all at that I think it is best that I return quietly," And, Carol, certainly quietly Cardinal Law has returned to the United States, and presumably to Boston, although the archdiocese will not confirm that.
Now today, in Holy Cross Cathedral, in the heart of Boston where for 18 years as archbishop, Cardinal Law would say Sunday mass. His replacement, his interim replacement at least, Auxiliary Bishop Richard Lennon said mass before a crowd that, after his remarks about healing and saying he would listen and saying he would be a shepherd, well, he received a standing ovation from the congregation in Holy Cross Cathedral. A very -- I was there. It was a very spontaneous eruption of warmth toward the auxiliary archbishop.
Now, very significantly, after mass the new -- or temporary at least -- he is not expected to be the ultimate archbishop, but the temporary successor to Cardinal Law, Richard Lennon -- Father Richard Lennon, did something remarkable. He stepped outside Holy Cross Cathedral and met with protesters there. Now this was something the protesters have pleaded with Cardinal Law to do for many months. But typically Cardinal Law would get into a car and be driven away from a side door. Today what many here in Boston considered a very significant step, just a few steps out of Holy Cross Cathedral into the cold to talk to just a sprinkling of protesters, and Auxiliary Bishop Richard Lennon only stayed a few moments. But it was a big moment for Boston and its archdiocese, Carol.
LIN: Yes, Bill, you can read it on their faces. I mean, the protesters looked genuinely...
DELANEY: Yes.
LIN: ... surprised and pleased. Thank you very much. Bill Delaney, live in Boston.
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 - 18:42 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: According to a published report, the Boston Archdiocese has $90 million in insurance to pay claims by sex abuse victims. That is double the amount previously thought. And it bolsters the argument that paying claims would not bankrupt the church. In Boston, Cardinal Bernard Law's temporary replacement is trying to heal a fractured flock. CNN's Bill Delaney joins us from Boston.
That is a big job indeed, Bill.
BILL DELANEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Very big job. You know, former archbishop and cardinal for life Bernard Law returned to the United States yesterday. He landed at Newark International Airport, not Logan International Airport, no doubt trying to avoid the press.
Now, there was a "Boston Globe" reporter on that flight with the Cardinal, did manage to get just a few questions in to the cardinal. A little bit of a gage of the cardinal's mood. It's certainly all we expect to get for many days. The cardinal is not speaking to reporters, but to the "Boston Globe," he said he's spent -- plans to spend a period of time now in thought and prayer. He pointed out to this reporter that after all, he has got a life -- a lot of life ahead of him.
He is still young, he said. The cardinal is 71. And he said, "I really think that what I have done is best for the church and I have to leave it all at that I think it is best that I return quietly," And, Carol, certainly quietly Cardinal Law has returned to the United States, and presumably to Boston, although the archdiocese will not confirm that.
Now today, in Holy Cross Cathedral, in the heart of Boston where for 18 years as archbishop, Cardinal Law would say Sunday mass. His replacement, his interim replacement at least, Auxiliary Bishop Richard Lennon said mass before a crowd that, after his remarks about healing and saying he would listen and saying he would be a shepherd, well, he received a standing ovation from the congregation in Holy Cross Cathedral. A very -- I was there. It was a very spontaneous eruption of warmth toward the auxiliary archbishop.
Now, very significantly, after mass the new -- or temporary at least -- he is not expected to be the ultimate archbishop, but the temporary successor to Cardinal Law, Richard Lennon -- Father Richard Lennon, did something remarkable. He stepped outside Holy Cross Cathedral and met with protesters there. Now this was something the protesters have pleaded with Cardinal Law to do for many months. But typically Cardinal Law would get into a car and be driven away from a side door. Today what many here in Boston considered a very significant step, just a few steps out of Holy Cross Cathedral into the cold to talk to just a sprinkling of protesters, and Auxiliary Bishop Richard Lennon only stayed a few moments. But it was a big moment for Boston and its archdiocese, Carol.
LIN: Yes, Bill, you can read it on their faces. I mean, the protesters looked genuinely...
DELANEY: Yes.
LIN: ... surprised and pleased. Thank you very much. Bill Delaney, live in Boston.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
