Boston
Roman Catholic leaders in Boston will not face criminal charges for allowing priests accused of sexual abuse to continue working with children, Massachusetts officials announced this week. Former archbishop Bernard Law was pressured into stepping down in December after he admitted mishandling scores of abuse charges. Thomas Reilly, the state attorney general, said it would be difficult to convict Law or other bishops because there was no state law requiring clergy members to report abuse to police. One alleged victim, Gary Bergeron, 41, said the decision put bishops above the law. Church leaders “agreed to sanction the abuse of children throughout the years,” he said, and they should be punished.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
What should you be stockpiling for 'World War Three'?In the Spotlight Britons advised to prepare after the EU tells its citizens to have an emergency kit just in case
-
Carnivore diet: why people are eating only meatThe Explainer 'Meatfluencers' are taking social media by storm but experts warn meat-only diets have health consequences
-
Scientists want to fight malaria by poisoning mosquitoes with human bloodUnder the radar Drugging the bugs
