NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      BOSTON (CWNews.com) - Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston on Saturday officially defrocked a retired priest accused of sexually molesting dozens of children over 20 years, just days after media reports that the archdiocese settled lawsuits with many of the accusers.

      The cardinal's decision to defrock Father John Geoghan, 63, is the first time such drastic action has been taken against a priest of the archdiocese and was broadly welcomed by those who were allegedly molested by the priest as well as many Boston-area Catholics. Geoghan is accused of raping or molesting more than 50 children over a period of three decades at five parishes in the Boston area.

      A Suffolk County grand jury is investigating the case which became public in 1995 and could still hand down indictments. The archdiocese reportedly paid at least $2.5 million to settle the lawsuits stemming from the priest's abuse, and further settlements could bring the total to $10 million.