Bernard Francis Law

Who is Bernard Francis Law?

Bernard Francis Law is an American cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the Archbishop emeritus of Boston, a member of the Roman Curia, former archpriest of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, and titular Cardinal Priest of Santa Susanna, the American Catholic church in Rome.

Law was influential in the first English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church in the 1980's. In addition, he is also known for issuing reports maintaining that Freemasonry is incompatible with Roman Catholicism. Law later resigned as Archbishop of Boston on December 13, 2002, allegedly in response to the Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal after church documents were revealed which suggested he had covered up sexual abuse committed by some Catholic priests within his archdiocese.

Pope John Paul II appointed Law as Archpriest of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome in 2004; he resigned from this position upon reaching the age of 80 in November 2011, but continues to live in an apartment within the basilica.