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April 8, 2005Ousted cardinal will lead funeralChoice of Bernard Law stuns manyBY THE LOS ANGELES TIMESVATICAN CITY - Cardinal Bernard Law, the former archbishop of Boston who became a focal point of the Roman Catholic Church's sexual-abuse scandal in the United States, won a coveted role Thursday to preside at one of a handful of funeral Masses for Pope John Paul II. The appointment, announced by Archbishop Piero Marini, master of liturgical celebrations, appeared to catch other U.S. cardinals by surprise. It stunned sexual-abuse victims' advocates. One church source close to developments said here Thursday that cardinals were not consulted about Law's participation. He said the cardinals were simply handed the list of assignments. "It was already printed," he said on condition of anonymity. Law, who was forced to resign as archbishop of Boston in 2002 after nearly 20 years in that post, will preside at one of eight funeral Masses beginning Saturday following today's main farewell and Funeral Mass for the supreme pontiff at St. Peter's Basilica. The Vatican said Law and the others were chosen because it was an "ancient custom" to entrust one of eight subsequent funeral Masses to a particular group with close ties to the pope. For example, the Saturday Mass is to be said on behalf of the "faithful of Vatican City." Law, in his new role here as archpriest of the Patriarchal Basilica of St. Mary Major, is scheduled to preside Monday on behalf of the four basilicas in Rome. Law, 73, was appointed last year to the mainly administrative position. Law remains a cardinal and is eligible to vote for a new pope. The post-burial Masses are held during a period known as "novendiali," a period of nine days of official mourning beginning Friday. Despite the Roman custom, Law's role in the ceremonies was seen by some Americans, particularly in Boston, as blind to the toll of the sexual-abuse scandal. "It's an unbelievably insensitive move that simply rubs salt into the already very deep wounds of thousands of abuse victims and American Catholics," David Clohessy, national director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said in an interview. "It's just inconceivable to me that any church official could be so out of touch. It borders on cruelty." Later Clohessy issued a prepared statement calling on Law to not take any public role in the rituals. "If he genuinely wants to honor the pope, he should avoid causing distractions to the solemn ceremonies," he said. Attempts to reach Law through the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and by telephoning his Vatican office were unsuccessful Thursday. In resigning as Boston archbishop in 2002, he begged forgiveness from "all those who have suffered from my shortcomings and mistakes." Disclosure that the Boston archdiocese had transferred priests known to sexually abuse minors from parish to parish enraged laity, and touched off similar inquiries elsewhere. Dioceses across the United States have paid hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements. Some sold property to pay the bill and others declared bankruptcy. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington indicated that Law's role in the funeral services came as a surprise to him. "I haven't really had a chance to think about it," he said in an interview. "I've great regard for Cardinal Law. He's a friend. He's a good man. He's gone through a difficult time. I think there are many who feel he is responsible for the difficult time, but who knows?" McCarrick said. Several cardinals refused to comment Thursday. "The selection is not for me to comment on," Cardinal Justin Regali of Philadelphia said. Cardinal Edward Egan of New York also demurred: "I won't get into that one, eh?" In Boston, Law's upcoming role in choosing a new pope infuriates many lay Catholics, according to James Post, a Boston University management professor who is president of Voice of the Faithful, an organization born during the abuse crisis that calls for increased lay leadership. "They know that something is fundamentally wrong. It offends our moral sense of right and wrong to have him casting a vote," Post said. On the other hand, he added: "Some people are saying he has been through hell and will bring the wisdom of that experience into the conclave. Some people are hoping he will speak to the need of finding a pope that will be stronger in responding to the global sex-abuse issues. Personally, I think that is a stretch." The Rev. Walter Cuenin, pastor of Our Lady Help of Christians Roman Catholic Church in Newton, Mass., said Law's renewed visibility in Rome this week revived painful memories. "I think there is also, without wanting to detract from the pope - there is a feeling among some American Catholics that certainly the holy see didn't seem too manage this crisis or get involved in it in depth, and kind of missed the mark," he said. Times staff writer Elizabeth Mehren contributed to this report from Boston.
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