Disgraced US Cardinal Law accused of covering up child sex abuse dies, aged 86

FORMER Boston cardinal Bernard Law, who resigned in disgrace during the Catholic Church’s child sex abuse scandal, has died in Rome.

By Anders Anglesey / Published 20th December 2017

Bernard Law resigned in 2003 after being accused of covering up abuse GETTY

DISGRACE: Bernard Law resigned in 2003 after being accused of covering up abuse

Law, who resigned as archbishop in 2002, died on Tuesday, according to Vatican officials.

Cardinal Law was accused of covering up child sex abuse and failing to remove offending priests from the ministry.

His downfall began when documents were released about an official who had been accused of abusing 130 boys over 30 years.

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Rolf Harris leaves Southwark Crown Court in London after prosecutors said that they will not seek a second retrial

The scandal was described as “the greatest tragedy to befall children – ever” by Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas Reilly in 2003.

He added: “As archbishop, and therefore chief executive of the archdiocese, Cardinal Bernard Law bears ultimate responsibility for the tragic treatment of children that occurred during his tenure.

“But by no means does he bear sole responsibility.”

It is estimated hundreds of children were abused for decades while Law knew GETTY

ABUSE: It is estimated hundreds of children were abused for decades while Law knew

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The children were the subject of horrific abuse

“By no means does he bear sole responsibility”
Thomas Reilly

At first, Cardinal Law retreated to a convent but he was moved to Rome in 2004 where he worked alongside three Popes.

The scandal later became the subject of the award-winning 2015 movie Spotlight, which showed how a team of journalists from The Boston Globe discovered the scale of abuse.