Bernard Cardinal Law

Bernard Francis Cardinal Law (born November 4, 1931 in Torreón, Mexico) became archbishop of the Catholic Church's Boston archdiocese in 1984. Law was made a Cardinal in the consistory of May 25, 1985. The Vatican announced on December 13, 2002 that John Paul II had accepted Law's resignation as archbishop, though he retains his position as a Cardinal.

Voice of the Faithful and others have put Law under enormous public pressure to resign after church documents revealed his extensive role in covering up incidents of pedophilia and other sex crimes committed by priests in his archdiocese. These crimes are now part of a larger Catholic priests' sex abuse scandal in America.

Cardinal Law moved Father Paul Shanley from parish to parish despite repeated allegations that he was molesting children. This supposedly celibate priest even advocated the North American Man-Boy Love Association. Parents in the new parishes did not know they had to protect their sons from him. The Cardinal says he didn't keep proper records.

On May 27, 2004 Cardinal Law was appointed by Pope John Paul II to be archpriest of Saint Mary Major Basilica, an honorary ceremonial post in Rome. Two days earlier the Boston archdiocese had announced the closing of 65 parishes due to declining collections related to Church sex scandals.