Cardinal Bernard Francis Law

Overview

Cardinal Bernard Francis Law was the Archbishop of Boston from March 1984 until his resignation on December 13, 2002. He is one of the most prominent figures in the Catholic clergy sex abuse crisis.

Description

Cardinal Bernard Francis Law was the Archbishop of Boston from March 1984 until his resignation on December 13, 2002. He is one of the most prominent figures in the Catholic clergy sex abuse crisis. Documents revealed Law’s extensive role in covering up incidents of sexual misconduct by priests under his authority. Law repeatedly transferred abusive clergy among parishes despite repeated allegations of child molestation, without alerting parents or police. Notable cases include priest John Geoghan who raped or molested over 130 children in six parishes. In January 2002, The Boston Globe published investigation results revealing Law’s systematic cover-up. The archdiocese eventually paid $10 million to Geoghan’s victims in 2002 and an additional $85 million to 552 victims and parents in 2003.