(13 Dec 2002)
1. Wide shot St Peter’s Square
2. Mid shot St Peters’ dome
3. Various newspaper headlines
4. Setup shot Gerald O’Connell, Vatican Correspondent for various Catholic US Media, carrying press release
5. Mid shot journalists
6. Gerald O’Connell using phone
7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Gerard O’Connell, Vatican Correspondent for The Universe:
"The news that came out of the bulletin was, the Pope has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Law. Cardinal Law made this known in a letter which has been published by the Vatican Press Office. In it he apologised and asked forgiveness for all those who suffered because of him. He thanked those who had helped them, and he said that his action was to help the reconciliation and unity within the diocese, and he hoped that would happen as a result of his resignation."
8. Wide shot, St Peter’s Square
9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Gerard O’Connell, Vatican Correspondent for The Universe:
"It’s a major event in the church for a senior figure like a cardinal to resign. In this Pope’s twenty five years as Pontificate, only one other cardinal has had to resign under such circumstances, and that was the Cardinal Archbishop of Vienna in 1995. It is an extraordinary event for a cardinal to resign, but Cardinal Law’s position in Boston had become untenable. Way back in April, Law had actually offered his resignation to the Pope, but the Pope did not accept it then. In fact the Pope is reluctant to accept resignations of Bishops and Cardinals. But now both the Pope and everybody in the Vatican had come to the conclusion that the situation in Boston had degenerated to such a degree, and the risk of fragmentation in the diocese and in the Catholic Church in that part of the United States was so great that they decided to accept the resignation."
10. Cutaway, newspaper headlines
11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Gerard O’Connell, Vatican Correspondent for The Universe:
"Well, they will obviously name a new Archbishop, how soon we do not know that. I am sure that preparations have already been underway because it doesn’t come as a surprise in recent times. But it is a major position in the United States, and they will think carefully about whom they should put there. When he becomes Cardinal that is quite another thing. The Pope is expected to hold a consistory to create new cardinals sometime next year, possibly in the second half of next year. The appointment is almost certain to happen before then and presumably that man who is appointed will become Cardinal."
12. St Peter’s square seen through archway
STORYLINE:
Cardinal Bernard Law, under intense fire in the sex abuse scandal, resigned on Friday as Archbishop of Boston.
The announcement came in a press release from the Vatican, it said that Pope John Paul II had accepted the resignation, after the two men held talks on Friday morning.
The Pope appointed Bishop Richard Lennon - an auxiliary bishop in Boston - to run the diocese temporarily.
"I am profoundly grateful to the Holy Father for having accepted my resignation as Archbishop of Boston," Law said in a written statement released by the Vatican.
"It is my fervent prayer that this action may help the archdiocese of Boston to experience the healing, reconciliation and unity which are so desperately needed. To all those who have suffered from my shortcomings and mistakes, I both apologise and from them beg forgiveness."
Law has been accused of having shuffled from parish to parish priests who were accused, often repeatedly, of sexually abusing minors.
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