Two U.S. clerics -- a bishop and a cardinal -- said America's bishops were all but unanimous in believing Cardinal Law must leave Boston for the good of the Church.
The cardinal, who asked to remain anonymous, said on Sunday that other senior prelates had commissioned him to take their case against Cardinal Law directly to Pope John Paul II's inner circle.
He said he and others would do so during private meetings at the Vatican set for yesterday.
Two days of talks between U.S. clerics and Vatican leaders were due to begin today.
The cardinal said that if the Holy See wanted to send a strong signal of quality leadership, Cardinal Law would have to be replaced. "This cannot be a
phase-out," he said, adding that he did not want to be named publicly before he spoke to the Vatican.
Another bishop said: "Many bishops are of the mind that the healing process really can't begin until there's a change of leadership in Boston."
The rare move against a fellow cardinal underscored Cardinal Law's precarious position in the wake of his handling of the scandal in his archdiocese.
Bishops in Florida, Ireland and Poland have resigned because of sex-abuse scandals. But criticism has focused on Cardinal Law, who allowed paedophile priests to continue in their ministries.
A week ago, Cardinal Law secretly flew to Rome for talks with the Pope and other Vatican officials about his status. He returned to Boston and announced he would stay as archbishop as long as God permitted him to serve.
On Sunday, he got a standing ovation when he told churchgoers at Holy Cross Cathedral that he wished he could undo the harm caused by his handling of cases involving priests abusing minors sexually.
The Boston scandal erupted in January and has spread across the country as sexual abuse allegations going back decades surfaced in other dioceses.
"He (Law) created the impression that nobody did anything and that's what infuriated a lot of us," the cardinal said.
On Sunday, the Pope offered Mass for 20 newly-ordained priests, telling
them that Jesus expected from them a rigorous life of poverty and humility.
"He asks of you to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect," the Pope said, without mentioning directly the sex abuse issue.
-- LOS ANGELES TIMES and WASHINGTON POST
