Pope Francis To Participate In Cardinal Law Funeral At Vatican

BOSTON (CBS) – Pope Francis will participate in the funeral Thursday for Cardinal Bernard Law, the disgraced former archbishop of Boston.

Read: Keller: Cardinal Bernard Law Left Toxic Legacy

The Vatican made the announcement Wednesday, via Catholic News Service, several hours after Law died in a hospital in Rome following a long illness.

The funeral will be held in St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City with the Mass celebrated by Angelo Sodano, the dean of College of Cardinals.

Pope Francis will preside over rite of final commendation, the Vatican said.

The pope also issued this brief statement on Law's death, but did not mention the victims of clergy sex abuse, as Cardinal Sean O'Malley did, apologizing to them in his statement.

"I have learned of the departure of Cardinal Bernard Francis Law, Archpriest emeritus of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major, and I wish to express my condolences to the College of Cardinals. I raise prayers for the repose of his soul, that the Lord, God who is rich in mercy, may welcome him in His eternal peace, and I send my apostolic blessing to those who share in mourning the passing of the cardinal, whom I entrust to the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary Salus Populi Romani."

An earlier version of this story stated the Pope would preside over the funeral mass.  That was incorrect.