VATICAN CITY – Leaders of an advocacy group for victims of sexual abuse by priests said Saturday they were flying to Rome to protest the Vatican’s choice of Cardinal Bernard Law to celebrate an important Mass mourning Pope John Paul II.

The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests said Cardinal Law’s presence was painful to victims and embarrassing to Catholics. Cardinal Law resigned as archbishop of Boston in December 2002 after unsealed court records revealed he had allowed priests guilty of abusing children to move among parish assignments and had not notified the public.

Today, he will lead one of the nine daily Masses for the pope at Rome’s St. Mary Major Basilica, the church where John Paul appointed him archpriest. Survivors Network representatives plan to be there to distribute fliers on how Cardinal Law mishandled abuse cases.

“We certainly do not want to cause any additional pain or suffering to anyone attending the memorial service for the Holy Father,” the group’s founder, Barbara Blaine, said in a phone interview. “Our concern is that many Catholics going there don’t know the history with Cardinal Law and that’s why we want to inform them.”

Cardinal Law has apologized for his wrongdoing. A man who answered the phone at the basilica said Cardinal Law would not comment. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops also declined to comment.

Some in the Catholic Church have said the Vatican likely asked Cardinal Law to preside over the service because he leads an important church, not to give him a personal honor. The church is one of four basilicas under direct Vatican jurisdiction.

Still, the assignment gives Cardinal Law a position of influence.