Boston Church To Make Changes

The Archdiocese of Boston will provide more services to sexual abuse victims and consider other reforms suggested by parishioners, a spokeswoman said.

After listening to suggestions on Saturday during a meeting of 2,500 lay and clergy leaders, Cardinal Bernard Law said he would contemplate their proposals.

The Roman Catholic archdiocese has made several changes since January, when it was revealed that Law had repeatedly responded to charges of pedophilia by priests by transferring them to other parishes.

"There is a big structural problem," said Paul Baier, who attends St. John the Evangelist Church in Wellesley. "We need policy-making that is not secret, that does involve non-clergy, that does involve input from the local parishes."

A diocesan spokeswoman, Donna Morrissey, said one definite change will be increased outreach to children sexually abused by clergy.

Law also announced a "zero tolerance" policy, saying that priests guilty of abuse would not be allowed to remain in the clergy. He instructed all clergy and volunteers to report allegations of abuse to the police — an action that had not been required in the past.

He has also created a 15-member task force, the Cardinal's Commission for the Protection of Children.

Former priest John Geoghan, who was defrocked in 1998, was sentenced to nine to 10 years in prison last month for groping a 10-year-old boy in a swimming pool. He is awaiting trial in a separate case charging him with two counts of indecent assault and battery.

The revelations have left many followers skeptical about their leadership.

"It makes me look at the hierarchy of the church differently and how the church is organized and how the church makes decisions," said Scott Morin.

By Jennifer Peter