Law Continues Talks In Rome As Group Meets In Boston

BOSTON -- Boston's Cardinal Bernard Law continued his talks with officials at the Vatican Wednesday.

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Future Of Cardinal Law Debated

NewsCenter 5's Amalia Barreda said that although church spokesmen are continuing their silence on the progress of his trip, it is believed his meetings focused on the issue of bankruptcy for the archdiocese.

Meanwhile, in Boston, the call for his resignation is expected to widen when the lay group Voice of the Faithful meets Wednesday evening.

Indications from the Vatican are that Law is being told to find any solution other than bankruptcy as a way to deal with the financial problems facing the Boston Archdiocese in the wake of the priest sex abuse crisis.

"They are trying to send a very strong signal that they would like him to avoid it if he possibly can. I think their message to him is look under every rock you possibly can before you can take this step," National Catholic Reporter spokesman John Allen said.

Allen said that there is not a hint of discussion coming out of the Holy See on the possibility of Law's resignation.

Resignation is on the agenda at Wednesday's meeting of the Voice of the Faithful. The group's representative council will take a vote on a resolution that says "we call on Cardinal Bernard F. Law to immediately step aside as Archbishop of Boston."

"This is basically a triage situation and our archdiocese needs immediate care and that's the reason that we will be voting on the resolution this evening," Voice of the Faithful member Steve Krueger said.

Even though it is ultimately up to the pope, the pastor of the cardinal's parish in Rome said that he thinks Law will stay his post until he retires in four years.

"I don't believe Cardinal Law is here to discuss his resignation. Secondarily, I don't believe the cardinal is going to resign. The pope could certainly ask him to step down or ask him to retire or could move him to another situation," the Rev. Paul Robichaud said.

"The truth is a great deal is riding on those few moments when Law and John Paul II are in a room by themselves and this story could take a very dramatic turn depending on what happens in that exchange," Allen said.

That exchange is expected to happen by the end of the week, possibly on Friday, and that is the same day a meeting of the Boston Priests Forum is scheduled, Barreda said. Among the items on that agenda is a possible no confidence vote on Law.