Pressure grows on Boston cardinal

Demonstrators have been out in force

A Boston Catholic group claiming 25,000 members is to decide on Wednesday whether to call for the resignation of Boston's embattled Cardinal Bernard Law.

On Monday, 58 priests signed a letter asking the cardinal to resign in what Catholic theologians are describing as a "revolt" or "rebellion".

Cardinal Law has gone to Rome

Cardinal Law remains in Rome, fuelling speculation that he is discussing the possibility of either resigning or declaring the Boston archdiocese bankrupt in the face of some 450 lawsuits alleging child abuse by priests.

As the temperature in Boston approached boiling point, a Catholic diocese in neighbouring New Hampshire headed off criminal prosecution with an historic declaration.

The diocese of Manchester, New Hampshire, announced on Tuesday that it is granting the state sweeping oversight rights into how it handles accusations of inappropriate behaviour by clergy.

Criminal charges

The state's attorney general was within days of filing criminal charges of child endangerment against the diocese.

I can't imagine what brought the Manchester diocese to this admission

Canon law professor James Coriden

Legal experts say it would have been the first time ever that criminal charges had been brought against a Catholic diocese, a move that a professor of church law described as "mind-boggling".

"The possibility of criminal action against a diocese, that's big-time stuff. I can't imagine what brought [the Manchester diocese] to this admission," Washington Theological Union professor James Coriden told The New York Times newspaper.

New Hampshire's Bishop John McCormack said his diocese "fully acknowledges and accepts responsibilities for failures in our system that contributed to the endangerment of children".

The diocese has agreed to annual audits by the state attorney general for the next five years and promised to report accusations of sexual abuse to legal authorities.

Dozens accused

The state had been investigating allegations of sexual abuse of children by more than 50 priests over a period of more than 40 years.

The settlement does not affect ongoing lawsuits - of which there are about 80 - or the possibility of charges against individual priests.

The Manchester diocese has so far agreed to pay about $7.7m to settle more than 100 lawsuits.

Voice of the Faithful, a Boston lay group working under the slogan "Keep the faith, change the church", votes on Wednesday on whether to call for Cardinal Law to go.

It will also decide on two separate resolutions, one asking the Pope to appoint a new bishop, and another demanding that the US Conference of Bishops keep its promise to hold bishops accountable.