BOSTON -- A new poll shows the vast majority of Catholics in the Boston area believe Cardinal Bernard Law should face charges for failing to take action against priests accused of sexually abusing children.

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Reilly Reacts To Poll

NewsCenter 5's Amalia Barreda reported that The Boston Globe survey found that 57 percent believe the former archbishop should be prosecuted. The survey also found that more than 76 percent believe the church should negotiate settlements with the alleged victims

Parochial schoolchildren celebrated Worcester Bishop Daniel Reilly's 75th birthday -- an occasion the Vatican marks by demanding retirement. A priest for 50 years, Reilly steps down without the taint of scandal in a scandal-ridden church.

Reilly offered a defense of Law, and said that the poll that revealed that most Catholics want Law prosecuted for his handling of child abusing priests is too harsh.

"People say too easily it's a cover-up. I don't think it's a cover-up. I think people were doing what they could do with a problem situation with what they knew. (Law's) suffered a great deal," Reilly said.

Reilly can count among his successes thriving Catholic schools throughout his diocese. Acknowledging the crisis of confidence that another poll indicates exists among Catholics, Reilly nevertheless gives the church high marks for responding to the problem of clergy sexual abuse.

"Probably when we look at this from the point of view of history, we'll probably say the church did a very good job at it. I hope other organizations are dealing with this problem the way the church is because this is not a church problem. It's not a Catholic problem, not a priest problem, it's a human problem," Reilly said.

Reilly is expected to stay on until a successor is appointed by the Vatican -- a process that will take at least six months. But even after that, Reilly said that he won't stop working but will remain to be of assistance wherever he can in the diocese.