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| ABOUT TRaC |
MultiTRaC Fall 2004
SIN: A Cardinal Deposed A mortal sin is a sin of grave matter, committed with full knowledge and with deliberate and complete consent. The most serious of all sins, mortal sin breaks the sinner's relationship with God and turns him away from his creator. Should child molestation be considered a mortal sin? If so, then why has the church turned a blind eye to the hundreds of allegations against priests molesting boys? Michael Murphy's riveting play "SIN: A Cardinal Deposed" centers on this very question, showing the deposition of Boston Cardinal Bernard Law concerning sexual abuse by priests. The play is set in a deposition chamber, cleverly making the audience feel like the jury in the case. In a powerful opening scene, Cardinal Law, played by John Cullum, stands in a shadow box, dark except for a ray of light illuminating his body. The picture is made more eerie by music playing in the background as Law delivers a speech to the people, expressing his confidence that the allegations of child molestation will not shake the strong foundations of the Church. He gives off an air of defiance mingled with uncertainty as he plays with the gold church ring adorning his finger. When the trial begins, the Cardinal is relaxed, answering questions in a nonchalant way and even mocking the prosecutor. However, over the course of the trial, Law becomes tense and agitated with the questions presented to him. As the case unfolds, many audience members begin to cry, sensing the Cardinal's desperation to try to protect the institution he has so ardently devoted his life to. When watching the Cardinal so vehemently defend the accused priests and his own neglect to remove them from practice, you feel more pity for the priest than anger. Although in general his actions can be characterized as the harboring of criminals, it is difficult to see the Cardinal himself as a criminal. You can see the pain in his eyes when he talks of the allegations against priests and you know that he isn't just defending criminals. He is trying to uphold an institution that has come under so much scrutiny that it is literally falling apart at the seams. The most powerful part of the play is the end, when Patrick McSorley, played by Pablo T. Schreiber, related the story of his own sexual abuse by a priest. Schreiber begins the account and starts to choke up when he reaches the part about the abuse. He begins to cry, struggling to get his painful story out. This scene is absolutely heartbreaking and leaves you fighting back your own tears. "SIN: A Cardinal Deposed" is powerful not just for the intensity of its content, but for the stark reality of it. It brings the Boston Church crisis right to your doorstep, leaving no room for escape. SIN is very emotional, especially for Catholics, and makes one question whether the Church really is on a great, unreachable holy pedestal.
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