The Vatican announced this morning that the disgraced former Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Bernard Law, has died. Law was the central figure in the pedophile priest scandal that first engulfed the Catholic Church 15 years ago, and was responsible for covering up the scandal in his archdiocese. Law initially dismissed the allegations, while he reassigned priests to other parishes without informing them or the police. When he resigned that position, he was recalled to the Vatican, where he served in policy-making committees, including the powerful Congregation for Bishops, which has the responsibility for recommending clergy for promotion to the Pontiff. He retained his lofty status as Cardinal, despite his gross misdeeds, as if nothing happened:
The damage that Law did to the lives of abused children and their families in his archdiocese and beyond is staggering. He belonged behind bars. The fact that the Church later provided a place of honor for him in Rome is a signal that the Church hasn't learned its lesson, and may never."He seemed to escape any scrutiny or punishment by the church for his well-known crimes, and instead remained part of the Vatican elite under John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, enjoying celebrity status that is akin to a clerical club membership bestowed on all top cardinals in Rome. He was often spotted dining with high-ranking cardinals at Rome’s better restaurants."
BONUS: As Infidel notes in the comments, Law is but one of many, many high- ranking Church officials who are part of this shameless history, that continues today.
(photo: Scheming, no doubt. E. Vandeville, Getty Images)
