Bernard Law – the cardinal forced to resign over an explosive church sex drama – died this Wednesday at age 86.
According to the Vatican, the former archbishop of Boston passed away in a Roman hospital after having suffered various health ailments in the years following his humiliating scandal.
In 2002, Law resigned from his high-ranking post after the Boston Globe’s Spotlight reported he had been guarding priests who regularly abused children.
According to the publication, Law would move the sick religious workers from parish to parish so as to keep authorities from find out about their disgraceful acts.
It was soon discovered that various other cardinals did the same.
“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,” Law said after announcing his resignation.
“To all those who have suffered from my shortcomings and mistakes, I both apologize and from them beg forgiveness.”
Despite his confession and apology, Law – and the other guilty cardinals – did not face criminal charges.
In 2004, Pope John Paul made Law the archpriest of the Rome Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. He is likely to be buried there.
After news of Law’s death came to light, actor Mark Ruffalo – who played Bernard Law in the movie Spotlight, which was based on the Boston priest sex scandal – slammed the cardinal on social media.
“This was a terrible human being…” Ruffalo, 50, tweeted, adding a link to Huffington Post‘s shocking article.
