Cardinal Bernard Law will be remembered for his inaction when in fact he was a powerful voice for action on issues ranging from AIDS to education and racial inequality. While his manner was often imperious, he had an accessible approach. He wrote and spoke eloquently, and he made himself available to both the people and the press in ways no previous cardinal had ever done.
When he first arrived in Boston in January of 1984, the Boston media was already well acquainted with the archbishop-to-be. Thousands of words had already been written, and as Law said on that introductory day, “I find difficulty recognizing myself in some of the things I read and hear. I hope it is not a false expectation, so a subsequent disappointment won’t set in.´´ Little did we know.
Now forever tarnished by his role in allowing pedophile priests to transfer from parish to parish with no criminal liability, Law’s legacy is one dimensional. Lost is his deep appreciation for the struggles of others, his uncompromising devotion to causes and battles of social concern, and the memories of how he reached out to leaders of all faiths, government, and business to pull them together for combined efforts of good will. It was Cardinal Law who ensured that the name of our now iconic cable-stayed bridge would honor Lenny Zakim, the onetime head of Boston’s Anti-Defamation League.
His arrogant, charismatic and sometimes self-deprecating manner served him well. He was a power player, though deeply flawed.
Law’s own words on the day of his historic installation at the Church of the Holy Cross in Boston now leave us with a haunting memory of what could have been – and never will be. He said, “However future historians may judge what begins to be unfolded this day, the graced event of which we are a part, will be remembered long after each of us has died.”
This post has been updated.
