Boston cardinal apologizes for 'cowards' comment

LOWELL, Mass. (AP) — Boston Cardinal Sean O'Malley has apologized to parishioners at a Lowell Roman Catholic church after a priest called several men "cowards" for accusing the church's former pastor of abuse.

Bishop Peter Uglietto (oog-lee-ETT'-oh) on Sunday read a letter from O'Malley to parishioners at Holy Trinity Church.

The Sun of Lowell reports that the letter was in response to Monsignor Stanislaw Kempa who on Dec. 11 took to the pulpit to lash out at three former altar boys, now in their 30s, who alleged abuse at the hands of the Rev. Czeslaw Szymanski (shesh-LAV' sih-MAN'-skee) in the 1980s.

Szymanski, who was never charged, has since died.

O'Malley said using the pulpit as a "platform for harmful words" was inappropriate.

An archdiocese spokesman says Kempa has taken responsibility.

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Information from: The Sun, http://www.lowellsun.com