Were You Abused?
If you were sexually abused as a child by a priest, deacon or any other member of the Catholic Church, you are not alone. We are here to help you. Please fill out our confidential online contact form or call Toll Free 1-866-777-2557 and a Massachusetts Sexual Abuse Lawyer will get back to you within 24 hours to discuss your possible case. Help is available nationwide. There is no cost to investigate and there are no legal fees unless you receive financial compensation. Making the call is sometimes the hardest step, but it is often a necessary step on the road to healing. Church Sexual Assault Lawyer Massachusetts
Reasons to call
Please call Toll Free 1-866-777-2557 or fill out our confidential contact form and a lawyer will get back to you within 24 hours to discuss your case. Massachusetts Church Sexual Assault Lawyer
Cardinal Bernard F. Law was prominently known as the archbishop of Boston and the senior Catholic prelate in the United States when his career was ended by the 2002 revelation of his protection of abusive priests. Cardinal Law was educated at Harvard and was known as a defender of the poor and immigrants, and he had fought for civil rights in the American South. He was named the archbishop of Boston in 1984 during the tenure of Pope John Paul II.
Cardinal Law rose to distinction as a political force in Boston, and he was considered a contender to be the first American pope. His critics found him to be arrogant and an autocrat, and he opposed abortion, ordination of women, birth control, and any alterations in the tradition of celibacy among the priesthood.
Massachusetts Church Sexual Assault Lawyer
In January 2002, a judge released documents pertaining to Reverend John J. Geoghan, a former priest accused of abusing 130 boys. Geoghan had been transferred between six different parishes over the 30 years he perpetrated his abuse. The documents showed that Cardinal Law had transferred Geoghan to a new parish claiming he acted on a psychiatric assessment.
Church Sexual Assault Lawyer Massachusetts
During the fallout from these revelations, hundreds more people came forward with abuse claims. Cardinal Law released to authorities the names of an additional 80 priests who had been accused of sexual abuse, but he became evasive when prosecutors sought more details. When a plaintiff’s lawyer disclosed the personnel file of Reverend Paul R. Shanley, it revealed that Cardinal Law and his predecessor were aware of numerous sexual abuse accusations against Shanley but did not restrict his contact with children.
Massachusetts Church Sexual Assault Lawyer
In December 2002, additional church documents were released that showed a pattern of Cardinal Law transferring offending priests without informing police or parishioners of the abuse allegations against them. The revelation that he had played a more active role in protecting priests than he had previously intimated led to abundant calls for Cardinal Law to resign. Three quarters of the Catholics in the archdiocese believed there was a massive cover up, and almost 60 priests called for Cardinal Law’s resignation. That same month, Cardinal Law traveled to Rome and offered his resignation to the pope. The pope accepted his resignation, but Cardinal Law was allowed to keep his title. He was never charged with any crimes nor was he held liable for any damages. He was one of the prelates who presided over the funeral of Pope John Paul II, and he participated in the election of Pope Benedict XVI. He died in December of 2017 at the age of 86.
Church Sexual Assault Lawyer Massachusetts
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