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Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston Resigns

HeadlineDec 13, 2002

The Vatican announced today Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston has resigned. The head of the Archdiocese of Boston is at the center of the sex abuse scandal in the Church. Over the last year, there have been repeated disclosures that Cardinal Law kept on the job dozens of priests who raped and molested children and teenagers, simply transferring them from one parish to another. Abuse victims, lay members and even some priests had intensified calls for Law to resign. More than 450 people are currently suing the Archdiocese of Boston, saying they are victims of abuse by priests. The scandal has already cost the Boston church tens of millions of dollars. Just yesterday, the Massachusetts Attorney General accused Church officials of developing an elaborate scheme to keep sexual abuse by priests away from attention of law enforcement officials. The Massachusetts Attorney General said a grand jury is investigating whether officials can be held criminally liable. The Boston Globe reports a subpoena has already been issued to Cardinal Law.

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