The high profile given to Cardinal Bernard Law, former archbishop of Boston, in funeral services for Pope John Paul 11 has provoked expressions of dismay in Massachusetts.
Cardinal Law was forced to resign as archbishop in December 2002 amid accusations that he shielded abusive priests and moved them around parishes without disclosing their alleged crimes.
He was chosen on Thursday to preside in Rome over the fourth of nine daily Masses known as Novemdiales, to commemorate the late Pope.
"It's ironic that they don't believe that he is fit to appoint priests, yet they have confidence in him to select the pope," said Stephen Pope, associate professor of theology at Boston College.
"His celebration of the Mass is seen as a way to gloss over the way he has sinned against the people and the children of Boston. Many Bostonians are taking great offence.
"It underlines for a lot of Bostonians that American bishops operate with a culture of impunity. They would like to see some attempt at contrition."
Cardinal Law will be among the cardinals who will meet in Rome next week to select a new pope.
He will conduct the special Mass on Monday at St Mary Major basilica, where he was appointed archpriest last year by the Pope, and most cardinals are expected to attend.
No other American cardinal has been asked to say one of the nine Masses.
Washington Cardinal Theodore McCarrick told reporters at the Vatican that Cardinal Law was chosen because the basilica was one of the great churches of Rome.
"The choice was certainly not made for any reason except to honour St Mary Major," he said.
Since Cardinal Law's resignation, the new Boston archbishop, Dr Sean O'Malley, has put the cardinal's residence and 28 acres of land up for sale to help pay settlements of $85 million in more than 552 sexual abuse cases. Dozens of churches in the archdiocese have also closed for lack of funds.
The Mass by Cardinal Law focused attention on the blemishes of the church, said James Post, president of the lay Catholic reform group Voice of the Faithful, formed in Boston to force bishops to be more accountable.
"For better or for worse, Cardinal Law is the poster child for clergy sex abuse," he said.
"Any role for him is a visible reminder of the complicity of the hierarchy in the clergy sex abuse crisis."