BishopAccountability.org
	Abuse Group Opposing Mass by Cardinal Law By Daniel Williams and Alan Cooperman Pittsburgh Post-Gazette [Rome] April 11, 2005 ROME -- American victims of sexual abuse by priests said yesterday that the Vatican was "rubbing salt into our wounds" by honoring Cardinal Bernard Law, who was designated to celebrate a special Mass of mourning for Pope John Paul II today. Leaders of a U.S. victims' group flew from Chicago to Rome yesterday to protest the high-profile role given to Law, who was forced to resign as archbishop of Boston in December 2002 after court records showed he had knowingly transferred sexual abusers from parish to parish without informing civil authorities or the public. "It feels like Cardinal Law is exploiting the pope's death for his own self-aggrandizing rehabilitation," said David Clohessy, executive director of the 5,000-member Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. "It is just rubbing salt into our wounds and the wounds of caring Catholics." The protesters have set up a clash of two worlds: the American planet of open demonstrations, sharp words and publicity seeking and the Vatican sphere of discretion, indirection and, this week at least, enforced silence of its top leadership. Members of the victims' group plan to hand out leaflets explaining why Law is a controversial figure in the United States. Clohessy said they would not interrupt the Mass. Cardinals from around the world are meeting daily in the run-up to electing a successor to John Paul. The vote will take place under strict secrecy in a conclave in the Sistine Chapel that is scheduled to begin next Monday. Although 117 cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote, two are ill, bringing the expected number of electors to 115. On Saturday, the cardinals decided at the behest of Joseph Ratzinger of Germany, the dean of the College of Cardinals, to stop talking to the media nine days before the conclave. With the cardinals muzzled, the public relations field has been left to the sex abuse victims, who are outraged that Law is celebrating the high-profile Mass and giving one of nine eulogies that traditionally take place between the pope's funeral and the conclave. Law is the only American named to give a eulogy. Last week, other U.S. cardinals played down Law's appearance, saying it was an automatic consequence of his position as archpriest of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, an honorary job that John Paul gave him when he resigned as Boston's archbishop. Barbara Blaine, president of the victims' group, said by telephone before boarding a flight to Rome that "this is just the wrong time to be putting Cardinal Law out there. He is the poster child for the sex abuse scandal." The U.S. Conference of Conference Bishops reported in February that 5,148 priests have been credibly accused since 1950 of sexually molesting 11,750 minors. More than 700 priests have been removed from ministry because of the scandal, which has cost the church about $1 billion in legal settlements and related fees. In the view of some Vatican officials the scandal was exaggerated. Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras, who is widely mentioned as a candidate for pope, said in 2002 that the U.S. media's treatment of the issue amounted to persecution of the church and reminded him "of the times of Diocletian and Nero and more recently, Stalin and Hitler." Blaine said she did not know whether the Vatican was offering forgiveness to Law. Respecting their vow of silence, the U.S. cardinals declined to comment on the protest.