![Disgraced Former Arch Bishop Bernard Law Dead At 86](http://townsquare.media/site/921/files/2017/12/GettyImages-52473720.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Disgraced Former Arch Bishop Bernard Law Dead At 86
VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican says Cardinal Bernard Law, the disgraced former archbishop of Boston, has died at 86.
Law had recently been hospitalized in Rome. The Holy See said in a statement that Law died early Wednesday following a long illness.
Law was the Boston archbishop in 2002 when court documents revealed he had failed to stop priests who molested children.
Law and other church leaders had moved guilty clergy from parish to parish in Massachusetts without alerting parents or police. He resigned amid a public uproar over his actions.
Vatican officials later appointed him to run a major basilica in Rome. Critics condemned the appointment as a reward for the cardinal.
More From WBEC AM
![MA Residents: Catch A Concert In The Heart Of Lenox!](http://townsquare.media/site/918/files/2021/09/attachment-Party-in-the-Park.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![This Massachusetts Pizza Spot Ranks Among the Top U.S. Restaurants for 2024](http://townsquare.media/site/919/files/2024/07/attachment-Pizza11.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Massachusetts Absolute Best Deli is This Family-Run Sandwich Joint](http://townsquare.media/site/919/files/2024/07/attachment-Reuben4.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![MA Residents: Our Communication Skills Have Gone Out The Window!](http://townsquare.media/site/918/files/2021/02/Phone-Apps.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Massachusetts is Home to the 5th Most Beautiful Seaside Town in America](http://townsquare.media/site/920/files/2024/07/attachment-RS42853_GettyImages-491172506-scr-3.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![If You’re Looking For The Best Burger In Massachusetts, Look Here!](http://townsquare.media/site/920/files/2024/07/attachment-juicyburger.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Nationwide Listeria Recall Involves Veggies From Walmart & Aldi](http://townsquare.media/site/920/files/2024/03/attachment-freshvegetables.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Massachusetts is the Home of 3 of the Most Delicious Beers in the U.S.](http://townsquare.media/site/919/files/2024/07/attachment-Beer.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![One of the Top 10 Most Charming Towns in America is in Massachusetts](http://townsquare.media/site/919/files/2024/07/attachment-Nantucket18.jpg?w=980&q=75)