Cardinal O'Malley Apologizes To Sex Abuse Survivors While Mourning Law Death

BOSTON (CBS) - Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley apologized to the victims of priest sex abuse Wednesday as he mourned the death of Cardinal Bernard Law.

Speaking to the media Wednesday afternoon, O'Malley said that hurt is still present and healing is still necessary.

"To be realistic, we have to realize that there was more to this man than his mistakes," O'Malley added after a reporter questioned his mention of Cardinal Law's positive work in an earlier statement.

"Forgiveness is what Christianity is all about, and that doesn't make it easy. So I appeal to people, particularly Christmas is about healing relationships and forgiveness. And a big part of healing is being able to come to grips with our own difficulty."

O'Malley had prayed at Cardinal Law's hospital bedside while he was in Rome last week.

Archdiocese spokesperson Terry Donilon told WBZ-TV O'Malley will not attend Law's funeral in Rome, because he just returned from a week of meetings there with the Pope and other Cardinals.

"Upon learning of Cardinal Law's failing health, Cardinal Sean visited him in the hospital last week before departing Rome for Boston," Donilon said.

Watch: Cardinal O'Malley On Law's Death

Here is O'Malley's complete statement:

"Cardinal Bernard F. Law, my predecessor as Archbishop of Boston, has passed away at the age of 86 following a prolonged illness.

I recognize that Cardinal Law's passing brings forth a wide range of emotions on the part of many people. I am particularly cognizant of all who experienced the trauma of sexual abuse by clergy, whose lives were so seriously impacted by those crimes, and their families and loved ones. To those men and women, I offer my sincere apologies for the harm they suffered, my continued prayers and my promise that the Archdiocese will support them in their effort to achieve healing.

As Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Law served at a time when the Church failed seriously in its responsibilities to provide pastoral care for her people, and with tragic outcomes failed to care for the children of our parish communities. I deeply regret that reality and its consequences. Since the day I arrived in the Archdiocese of Boston, my primary objective has been to work for healing and reconciliation among survivors, their families and the wider community of Catholics for whom the abuse crisis was a devastating experience and a great test of faith. In the midst of these groups that were most affected have stood priests and religious sisters of the Archdiocese who have tried to minister to any and all seeking assistance, even when they have been deeply challenged by the crisis that unfolded in the Church.

It is a sad reality that for many Cardinal Law's life and ministry is identified with one overwhelming reality, the crisis of sexual abuse by priests. This fact carries a note of sadness because his pastoral legacy has many other dimensions. Early in his priesthood in Mississippi Cardinal Law was deeply engaged in the civil rights struggle in our country. Later, he served in the Archdiocese and nationally as a leader in the ecumenical and interfaith movement following the Second Vatican Council, developing strong collaborative relationships with the Greek Orthodox and Jewish communities in Boston. He was well known for visiting the sick, the dying and the bereaved at all hours of the night and day, a ministry that extended to the rich and poor, the young and elderly, and people of all faiths. He also held the care for immigrants and their families in a special place in his ministry.

In the Catholic tradition, the Mass of Christian Burial is the moment in which we all recognize our mortality, when we acknowledge that we all strive for holiness in a journey which can be marked by failures large and small. Cardinal Law will be buried in Rome where he completed his last assignment. I offer prayers for him and his loved ones as well as for all the people of the Archdiocese."