THIS STORY HAS BEEN FORMATTED FOR EASY PRINTING

Law, pope discussed resignation at Vatican

Meeting with pope left cardinal 'encouraged'

By Michael Paulson and Michael Rezendes, Globe Staff, 4/16/2002

ardinal Bernard F. Law has secretly travelled to Rome to discuss calls for his resignation with Pope John Paul II, Law said in a statement released last night.

The cardinal said he discussed "the fact that my resignation has been proposed as necessary," but that he is coming back as archbishop of Boston and is planning to address "at length" the archdiocese's handling of clergy sexual abuse cases.

The statement was somewhat elliptical, not specifying when Law went to Rome, whether he is back, or whether he advocated or resisted his own resignation. Law's spokeswoman, Donna M. Morrissey, could not be reached for comment.

"For the past few days I have been in Rome to seek counsel and advice," Law wrote. "The focus of my meetings was the impact of the [Rev. Paul R.] Shanley and other sexual abuse cases upon public opinion in general and specifically upon the members of the archdiocese. The fact that my resignation has been proposed as necessary was part of my presentation."

Law said he met with several Vatican officials, including the pope.

"The pope and those others with whom I met are very conscious of the gravity of the situation," he said. "It is clear to me that the primary emphasis of the Holy See, like that of the church in the archdiocese, is upon the protection of children."

Law's meetings in Rome came even as the Holy See was confirming reports that the Vatican has summoned the American cardinals to Rome next week to discuss the clergy sexual abuse crisis that is roiling the church in the United States and other parts of the world. Taken together, the meetings with Law this week and with all the cardinals next week suggest that the Vatican is now interested in playing a much more active role in managing this crisis than it has to date.

Law indicated he is keeping his job for now.

The Globe reported yesterday that last week, Law had relayed to the office of the Papal Nuncio in Washington that he thought he should resign. But the cardinal was asked not to submit his resignation until the Pope and his top aides could deliberate about how to proceed.

"As a result of my stay in Rome, I return home encouraged in my efforts to provide the strongest possible leadership in ensuring, as far as is humanly possible, that no child is ever abused again by a priest of this archdiocese," he said.

Law has not spoken with the news media in more than two months and has not been seen in public for the last week. His office has declined to discuss his whereabouts over the last several days, although his spokeswoman said Friday that the cardinal was praying and talking with advisers.

Law said he now intends to explain his handling of priests accused of sexual abuse, with the assistance of church-controlled media outlets.

"It is my intent to address at length the record of the archdiocese's handling of these cases by reviewing the past in as systematic and comprehensive [a] way as possible, so that legitimate questions which have been raised might be answered," he said. "The facilities of Boston Catholic Television and The Pilot will assist in making this record available."

Law did not say when he plans to offer the explanation, but it is not expected to appear in this week's edition of the Pilot, which is published on Friday. He said that "in the meantime" he will stick by the plan he articulated in his letter to priests of last Friday: "my desire is to serve this archdiocese and the whole church with every fiber of my being. This I will continue to do as long as God gives me the opportunity."

Mary Jo Bane, a Harvard professor and member of the parish council at Saint William Church in Boston who has coordinated a signature-gathering effort to get Law to resign, said the statement Law released last night was similar to the letter he sent priests on Friday in its difficult-to-decipher language and its restriction of the conversation about clergy sexual abuse to church insiders.

"It certainly does suggest that his decisions are being made in consultation with the Vatican -- that seems clear from all this -- and presumably they are being considered in the wider context of the American Catholic Church," Bane said.

Walter V. Robinson of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Michael Paulson can be reached by e-mail at mpaulson@globe.com.