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  Pope: US Pedo Victims, Card.Law's Presence Unacceptable

AGI [Vatican City]
April 11, 2005

- "It is unacceptable that cardinal Francis Law has an important role in this important period for the Catholic church. He has even been chosen as preacher during the Novendial celebrations. It is absurd". That is what Barbara Blaine president of Snap (Survivors Network of those abused by priests) said with regard to the Vatican's decision to entrust the novendials to US cardinal Law, former archbishop of Boston and current archpriest of the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome. The cardinal is accused of having somehow "covered up" sexual abuse carried out by certain priest of his diocese. In 2002 the Pope accept his resignation but then "compensated him" with a cushy job at the S. Maria Maggiore. Ms. Blaine told journalists that she wants to be the spokesperson of a common interest and she announced that over the next few days she will be joined by hundreds of other Americans to boost their protest. Barbara said that she has also been abused by a priest when she was 12. She said she came to Rome because "we cannot remain silent with this amount of suffering and hurt". Snap has more than 55.000 members in 60 US cities. "Our presence here is important to prevent further sufferings; we came here to try and find help and tell the truth about cardinal Law. We have to let everybody know what we went through". Bernard Francis Law is part of the 115 cardinals who well elect the new Pope, but the woman hopes that "no-one will listen to him" and that "the new Pope will keep a close eye on the paedophile priests". (AGI) -