Oh Snap, That’s Law.

With the death of Pope John Paul II last week Bostonist brought up some questions that still plague the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. Of course we weren’t alone. Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests or "SNAP" is staging a protest of the mass offered in honor of the Pope by Cardinal Bernard Law in Rome. Cardinal Law left his position as head of the Boston Archdiocese because he reassigned priests and swept allegations of sexual abuse under the carpet. SNAP (Bostonist really likes their acronym) is protesting the involvement of Cardinal Law in the memorial masses of the late Pontiff.

Cardinal Law was reassigned to a parish in Rome after turning in his Boston vestments. This was seen by the Church as a demotion. Allegations of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church still plague the Archdiocese of Boston with several cases in the news this week. Cardinal Law is still a Cardinal. Though he moved out of the spotlight of Boston his involvement is still remembered. Today’s SNAP protest in Rome focuses on the mass given by Cardinal Law but the real focus is on the future. Cardinal Law will vote for the new pope when the conclave convenes on April 18. Bostonist will be watching the smoke signals.