Catholics begin new, more peaceful phase of protest against Law

BOSTON -- In place of protesters' angry shouts, parishioners at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross were confronted Sunday with dozens of pictures of young children allegedly abused by priests.

About 65 picketers lined up in silence, backs to the cathedral, to launch a new, more peaceful phase of their campaign meant to drive Cardinal Bernard Law from his post. It was the largest protest at the cathedral, the seat of the Archdiocese of Boston, in months.

Sunday's silent observance was intended to address concerns that the weekly demonstrations had become too confrontational, according to organizer Rick Webb.

"Some of the people don't like the bullhorns," Webb said. "We're trying to accommodate everyone."

Despite the protest's more peaceful nature, the anti-Law rhetoric was still harsh.

"The festering sore which continues to infect and divide us will not begin to heal until the symbol and man ultimately responsible for these transgressions is removed," Ann Hagan Webb said in a short speech. "That he was fully aware of the rape and molestation of children by priests is no longer in doubt."

Law did not preside at Sunday's Mass because he was in Rome attending the funeral of Cardinal Francois Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, according to a archdiocese spokeswoman Donna Morrissey.

Picketers have become a weekly sight outside of the cathedral since January, when published reports revealed the archdiocese had transferred priests accused of child abuse from parish to parish.

The Vatican is currently evaluating the U.S. bishops' strategy to eradicate sex abuse among clergy, a policy expected to raise objections at the Holy See.

In Worcester, Mass., an attorney for a support group of clergy abuse victims pledged Sunday to fight a subpoena by the Diocese of Worcester for victims' names and correspondence.

Diocese lawyers subpoenaed the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, known as SNAP, last week while defending the diocese in a lawsuit.

Five women allege in the lawsuit that the diocese failed to protect them from the Rev. Robert E. Kelley, who was convicted of rape and has admitted to molesting 50 to 100 girls while at St. Cecilia's in Leominster two decades ago.

The diocese is asking SNAP for information about the plaintiffs, including correspondence and dates they participated in support group events, and names of "all persons" claiming they were abused by Kelley.