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  Pope Replaces Sex Abuse Scandal-tainted US Cardinal at Rome Church

Monsters and Critics
November 21, 2011

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1676532.php/Pope-replaces-sex-abuse-scandal-tainted-US-cardinal-at-Rome-church

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI has decided not to renew a disgraced US cardinal's job at a Rome basilica, according to a statement issued by the Vatican on Monday

Bernard Law resigned in 2002 as archbishop of Boston in the wake of the scandal involving the sexual abuse of children by priests.

But in a move that triggered outrage from the victims, he was appointed as the archpriest of the Basilica of St Mary Major in 2004.

Law was named in hundreds of lawsuits in which he was accused of failing to protect children from known child molesters.

In particular, he was accused of transferring so-called predator priests rather than reporting them to police.

Law turned 80 this month, requiring him to submit a mandatory resignation on age grounds to the pontiff, who, had he so wished, could have kept him in the position for longer.

But in a statement which made no mention of Law, the Vatican said Benedict has appointed Spanish Monsignor Santos Abril y Castello as his replacement.

Abril y Castello, 76, retired earlier this year as the Vatican's ambassador to Slovenia and Macedonia. He holds the title of Deputy Cammerlengo - the number 2 prelate entrusted with dealing with a papal death and running the Vatican until a new pontiff is elected in a conclave.

 
 

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