Life of faith tangled in sins of the cloth
Here is a timeline of Bernard Law's career in the Roman Catholic Church:
May 21, 1961 — Ordained as a priest in the Natchez-Jackson, Miss., diocese.
1963 — Becomes editor of the diocese's newspaper.
Dec. 5, 1973 — Is made bishop of the SpringfieldCape Girardeau diocese in southern Missouri.
Jan. 11, 1984 — Pope John Paul II appoints Law to be the archbishop of the Boston Archdiocese, which has two million Roman Catholics.
1984 — Law receives a letter from a bishop, expressing concerns about the Rev. John Geoghan.
May 25, 1985 — Pope John Paul II elevates Law to cardinal.
July 17, 2001 — The church sexual abuse scandal widens when Cardinal Law admits receiving a letter in 1984 outlining allegations of child molestation against the former priest John Geoghan. Law had assigned Geoghan to another parish despite the allegations.
Jan. 9, 2002 — In a press conference, Cardinal Law apologizes to victims of abuse by Geoghan. Geoghan is later convicted of indecent assault and battery on a 10-year-old boy.
April 17, 2002 — A judge presiding over the case of the Rev. Paul Shanley orders Cardinal Law to be deposed by lawyers of one of Shanley's victims.
May 9, 2002 — Cardinal Law testifies about his supervision of accused priest Geoghan. Law states that he had relied on his assistants to investigate charges of abuse.
May 19, 2002 — In a letter distributed throughout the archdiocese, Cardinal Law apologizes for his role in the clergy abuse scandal, but denies knowing about the allegations of sexual abuse against until 1993.
Dec. 6, 2002 — Cardinal Law is subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury investigating “possible criminal violations by church officials who supervised priests accused of sexually abusing children.”
Dec. 9, 2002 — In a letter signed by 58 priests, Law is asked to resign his post as archbishop.
Dec. 13, 2002 — Resigns as Archbishop of Boston.
May 27, 2004 — Law is made Archpriest of the Patriarchal (now Papal) Liberian Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, Italy.
Nov. 21, 2011 — The Vatican announces that Cardinal Law's position as Archpriest of the basilica of St. Mary Major will now be filled by Archbishop Santos Abril y Castello. Cardinal Law is now effectively in retirement.