American cardinals arrived in Rome today for meetings with the Pope, saying they will take whatever steps are needed to assure Catholics that a paedophile priests scandal is under control.
The cardinals planned to have a private meeting with John Paul today before two days of formal talks begin tomorrow.
"I think we'll talk about whatever the cardinals want to talk about because we want to make sure that we handle this and that we are able to say to our people that this is under control, that it won't happen again and we're moving in that direction," said Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of Washington.
The spotlight was on Cardinal Bernard Law, the Boston archbishop facing demands that he resign for his handling of cases of sex abuse by priests in his jurisdiction - especially the cases of two known abusers who were moved from parish to parish.
The Los Angeles Times, quoting an unidentified cardinal, reported today that several US cardinals will push the Vatican to ask Law to resign.
The cardinal, who spoke to the paper, said other senior prelates had asked him to take the Law case directly to Vatican officials close to the pope. He said he and others would do so today during private meetings at the Vatican.
But McCarrick said he didn't think Law - once touted to become the first American pope should step down.
"The trouble began on his watch and he wants to fix it. Give him a chance," McCarrick said near St Peter's Square.
McCarrick said he had not heard of an anti-Law push, but added: "If some felt very strongly, they would speak to him privately. I can't see a cabal."
Bishop Wilton Gregory, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, said if there were any discussions about Law he felt it was "not appropriate" to talk to the media about it.
The cardinals will be looking to the Vatican for guidance and support on a wide range of issues, foremost among them whether the church should cease reassigning any sex offenders and set about creating a uniform American policy for reporting abuse claims to police.
The meeting could also set off talks on such usually taboo subjects as the celibacy requirement and the ordination of women and gays in the priesthood.
AP