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CNN LIVE AT DAYBREAK

Pope John Paul II and Cardinal Bernard Law Begin Their Talks

Aired December 13, 2002 - 05:32   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get back now to the meeting that is now under way at the Vatican. Just minutes ago, Pope John Paul II and Cardinal Bernard Law began their talks. These pictures you're seeing are from an earlier visit the cardinal paid to the Vatican. The leader of the Boston church is accused of moving priests from one parish to another after they've been accused of molesting children. Law is expected to resign. And this time the pope just may accept.
We want to go back to Rome live now for more on this crucial meeting.

CNN Vatican analyst Delia Gallagher is again with us live -- good morning once again.

How long do you think this meeting will last?

DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

Well, it won't be very long, Carol. Really, some of the details have been worked out beforehand and it's going to be a 10 or maximum 20 minute meeting. The pope has other people to see this morning, as well. So the cardinal will present his case and it's understood the word this morning that the pope will accept the resignation. So the pope has already been well informed of the situation and has made up his mind. He won't be making it up during the next 10 or 20 minutes -- Carol.

COSTELLO: You can only imagine the tone of the meeting and how emotional it must be.

GALLAGHER: Well, absolutely, on both sides. This is a pope who tends to regard his cardinals and his bishops with a fatherly affection. So clearly he will be treating the cardinal with that kind of an affection. He's also the pope who forgives and so on. So there will be that tone, I think, in the meetings. And, of course, the cardinal, on his side, has much to be sorry for.

So it would be very interesting to be a fly on the wall in this meeting -- Carol.

COSTELLO: When Cardinal Law offered to resign the first time, the pope declined his resignation. How unusual would it be if the pope accepts a resignation from a cardinal this time?

GALLAGHER: Well, it would be, you're saying how unusual would it be if he accepted the resignation? Yes, it is unusual because this is a pope that does not like to accept resignations. He believes that one should stick with the job and try to clean up the mess. On the other hand, there is this idea of the good of the church and it has been seen in the past nine months since the cardinal was last here that he has not been able to carry forward for the good of the church his archdiocese and to heal some of those wounds in the archdiocese. So we think that that is what has probably swayed the pope to allow the resignation -- Carol.

COSTELLO: And, of course, the big rumor is if Cardinal Law does resign, there will be a place for him at the Vatican. How possible do you think that is?

GALLAGHER: I think it's unlikely. I think it's unlikely certainly in the short-term. He has to return to Boston. He has to face up to the charges there. Secondly, it's not a place really where he would be used, I think, as well as he could be used in the states, in Washington, for example. There is also the possibility that he will simply go off into retirement and we won't hear from him again. But the pope has already had a close collaborative relationship with this cardinal and it is expected that he will attempt to use him in some positive way, but in the States.

COSTELLO: All right, Delia, thanks so much.

We're going to get back to you a little later on DAYBREAK.

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