By J.M. Hirsch, Associated Press, 04/27/02

| Complete coverage |  AG'S REPORT Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly released the results of a 16-month investigation into clergy sex abuse in the Boston archdiocese. Download report [PDF, 1.4 MB] (File requires Adobe Acrobat)  TODAY'S GLOBE A new leader reaches out 3 faces in crowd bound in hopeh At BC, students watch with awe O'Malley's homily reveals frank man Near cathedral, voices of protest 'Good priests' moved to tears Text of Archbishop O'Malley's homily Sandwiches, chips were bill of fare An angry protest, and prayers  GRAPHICS The moment of installation Viewer's guide Ceremony TV coverage  Processional O'Malley's vestments O'Malley's coat of arms Cathedral of the Holy Cross  REALVIDEO | NECN.com | Help with video | O'Malley to be installed today Great expectations of O'Malley Video clips require RealPlayer and Windows 98 or higher.  INTERACTIVE FEATURE An interactive timeline of the developing church crisis, featuring photos and audio.   View timeline  IN-DEPTH Boston's new archbishop Bishop Sean Patrick O'Malley has been chosen to succeed Cardinal Law as leader of the archdiocese. Reaction to O'Malley appointment Accused priests are vindicated Three priests have been exonerated after being suspended from their posts over abuse allegations.  CARDINAL BERNARD LAW Coverage of his resignation Career timeline: Priest to cardinal Changing statements on abuse Coverage of his tenure in Boston Photos: Law through the years Boston.com readers' comments  CONTACT SPOTLIGHT If you have information on child abuse by priests, call (617) 929-3208 Or leave a confidential message at this number (617) 929-7483 The Spotlight Team e-mail address is spotlight@globe.com.

PELHAM, N.H. -- Bishop John B. McCormack said Saturday that Boston Cardinal Bernard Law should not step down, despite public pressure that he resign for reassigning priests who committed sexual abuse to other parishes.

Law has found himself at the heart of the growing sex abuse scandal that has rocked the Roman Catholic church. He recently traveled to the Vatican to discuss whether he should step down, but since has said he will not.

"I wouldn't want to get into that. But personally, no, I don't think he should step down," McCormack told reporters following an afternoon church service at St. Patrick Parish.

McCormack served as Law's director of ministerial personnel in the Archdiocese of Boston from 1984-1994, and also handled sexual abuse complaints involving priests for several years.

McCormack, who moved to the Diocese of Manchester in 1998, also has been criticized for his role in shuffling Massachusetts priests to new dioceses.

McCormack has said he is sorry for the harm done by abusive priests, and that he never reassigned a priest to ministry whom he thought would harm children.

On April 12, McCormack said he would answer questions about his time in Massachusetts within 10 days. On Saturday he said his answers were coming "soon."

Asked about efforts the New Hampshire diocese is taking to update its policy for dealing with priests who sexually abuse children, McCormack said much still needs to be determined.

He said the question isn't whether to act on allegations against priests, but how to act. He said church officials must decide whether all priests who abuse children should be defrocked, or just removed from parish work.

McCormack also was asked about a policy from the Diocese of Dallas which forbids clergy or other adult church workers from being alone with a child in a home, a locker room, bathroom or any other isolated place that is "inappropriate to a ministry relationship."

"Dallas has a very good policy and we are aware of that policy," McCormack said. "I don't think we've come up with a determination how our policy will be refined. But we do want to refine our policy so we have a clear policy around the protection of children."

McCormack was at the Pelham parish Saturday to explain to the community that their pastor, the Rev. Edward Richard, was placed on administrative leave earlier in the week because authorities were investigating allegations that he molested a boy sometime during the 1980s.