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PDF versionIrish parishes asked to help with abuse settlements
Mar. 04, 2010
DUBLIN, Ireland -- The Diocese of Ferns is asking its parishes for additional funds to help cover the cost of legal settlements stemming from cases of clerical child abuse.
The diocese paid more than 10.5 million euros ($14.2 million) in legal settlements to victims, payments to lawyers and fees for treatment programs for offenders, Bishop Denis Brennan of Ferns told the annual general meeting of the diocesan finance committee March 1.
The bishop said 48 cases were settled while 13 others were pending.
"The issue continues to receive priority attention and I am glad to report continued progress," he said.
Eugene Doyle, diocesan finance officer, told RTE News that the diocese took out a 20-year loan for $1.8 million euros ($2.4 million) to help meet its financial commitments. He said loan payments cost 120,000 euros ($160,000) annually, but the diocese currently can afford to pay half of the amount.
The diocese is considering the sale of property to cover the shortfall, according to Doyle, who cautioned that selling real estate during an economic recession is not ideal.
Instead, the diocese decided to turn to parishes to raise additional funds, Doyle said.
"People who suffered abuse are not the cause of our problems; the actions of individual perpetrators, along with mismanagement, poor understanding and/or lack of resolve are," Bishop Brennan said in explaining the decision.
"As we look to complete this road, it will be necessary to invite the parishes to become part of the process financially," he said. "Funding sought is not about sharing the blame, it is about asking for help to fulfill a God-given responsibility. 'That I did not cause the problem' is not the response of the Christian. 'That I would like to help in the work of justice, healing, reconciliation, a safer environment for children in the future, proper financial stewardship and overall good economic health' is."
Colm O'Gorman, founder of the victims support group One in Four, who first disclosed clerical abuse in Ferns, said he believed the diocese should not be turning to the laity to pay for institutional failings.
That is almost comical. Where
That is almost comical. Where does the bishop think the people will get that kidn of cash?
This is beyond gall------to
This is beyond gall------to now ask the lay people [who were already providing room and board and a salary to their priests while those priests were molesting the lay people's children] to foot the bill for what the priests did and for what the Bishops did in the cover-up to save their reputation and to prevent themselves from going to prison! This would be the equivalent of Jesus telling the money-changers in the temple that they ought to ask for even more for their services since they aren't ripping-off the people enough! Has Brennan of Ferns no decency at all, no shame, no remorse! If he wants "help in the work of justice" he should do his part to incarcerate all the priests, bishops, and cardinals involved in this tremendous betrayal of Jesus. "Holy Mother the Church" should have been on the phone calling the police to have these people arrested, not calling the legal team to get them off. The nerve!
"Funding sought is not about
"Funding sought is not about sharing the blame, it is about asking for help to fulfill a God-given responsibility. 'That I did not cause the problem' is not the response of the Christian. 'That I would like to help in the work of justice, healing, reconciliation, a safer environment for children in the future, proper financial stewardship and overall good economic health' is."
I hope that Bishop Brennan extended this invitation to his elder brother Pope Benedict, and to their fellow pastors at the Vatican and in the cathedrals throughout the world. Surely they would want to set the example by leading their flocks to "justice, healing, reconciliation, a safer environment for children in the future, proper financial stewardship and overall good econimic health".
Lent is the season of grace and conversion, of penance and reconciliation, of renewal of our baptismal promises. I hope that our pastors' spiritual directors urge them to read chapter 21 of John's Gospel. Aside from reminding them of Jesus' thrice repeated plea to feed and look after his sheep, there is that final "heads up" verse 25: There was much else that Jesus did...
When we stand before God there will be eternity to recount each and every detail because that is what God awaits and expects, "Tell me everything. Tell me all. We have forever". TELL ME ABOUT YOUR BAPTISM, EASTER AND PENTECOST. This is the Good News we are called to share with each other and tell God about. We are all invited.
Paz y Bien, Rolando.
good morning, What a mess!
good morning,
What a mess!
Imagine the ad: Help us, laity, pay for the situation we created or at a minimum covered up, but do not ask us ever for either actual oversight and authority over Parish or Diocesan affairs, including postings and removals of priests, nor accountability to you for our conduct or how we spend your financial contributions. For our part, we will create a program educating you, not us, on protecting children against abuse.
Plays well? I think I have heard it before.
take care
It was a top-down problem.
It was a top-down problem. Vatican funding might be more appropriate.
It would be better to sell
It would be better to sell off assets despite the recession. The Church would be better without much of it's property,I think,and then get back to the good news. The disenchantment of the people with the powerful Church is the good news and it will certainly result in a decline in income. the mismanagement of money by church authorities over the last years will be better when there is less money.Perhaps the Holy Spirit would prefer that the Church went broke. Fiat voluntas tua! But it can't be much fun just at the moment I'm Sure. Christians sure have it rough!
God bless you all
I hear Matthew 19:16-22, Mark
I hear Matthew 19:16-22, Mark 10:12-22, Luke 18:18-23. And I also sense the words of Francis of Assisi who reminded and admonished us that Poverty should be the basic principle: “Having leads to pride and avarice: after you get a psalter, you will crave and ask for a breviary. And when you get the breviary, you will sit in state like some prelate and say to your brother, “Go, fetch me my breviary!” (Mirror of Perfection)
Yes, life with nothing more than the love and the clothing that my mother Mary has made for and offers me is all that Mary my Mother desires and can do for me. This is all that I can want and all that anyone can give me. I want and live for what comes from my Mother.
So yes! Sell off assets; be better without much property; get back to the good news. Perhaps the Holy Spirit would prefer that the Church went broke. “Fiat voluntas tua”. God does bless us all, from the beginning, now, and forever.
So please, please don’t be disenchanted. Don’t stop singing, don’t lose your song. Christians may have it rough, but they also have harmony because God does bless us all.
Paz y Bien, Rolando.
Your comment reminds me of
Your comment reminds me of Matthew 19:16-22, Mark 10:12-22, Luke 18:18-23. And I also sense the words of Francis of Assisi who reminded and admonished us that Poverty should be the basic principle: “Having leads to pride and avarice: after you get a psalter, you will crave and ask for a breviary. And when you get the breviary, you will sit in state like some prelate and say to your brother, “Go, fetch me my breviary!” (Mirror of Perfection)
Life with nothing more than the love and goodness that God our Father and Mary our Mother provide and offer us is more than enough. This is all that we can want and more than anyone can give us. I want and live for what comes from my Father and Mother.
So yes! Sell off assets; be better without much property; get back to the good news. Perhaps the Holy Spirit would prefer that the Church went broke. “Fiat voluntas tua”. God does bless us all, from the beginning, now, and forever.
But please, please don’t be disenchanted. Don’t stop singing, don’t lose your song. Christians may have it rough, but they also have harmony because God does bless us all. Paz y Bien, Rolando.
The only partial justice
The only partial justice possible in this situation involves the bishops selling their damned real estate and liquidating all assets to the point of bankruptcy. The choice of hiding criminal behavior has consequences. I pray that that Irish Catholics don't give a single Euro to these felons.
One wonders if his Grace was
One wonders if his Grace was able to keep a straight face when he made his incrediby wondrous statement, wherein the sheep are asked to lend a wooly foot to bail out the shepherds who have sinned and transgressed. Better to sell and dispose of the property to cover the transgressions of those who deserve millstones around their necks.
If the parishes need to share
If the parishes need to share in the cost of the abuse, then they should have a say in how it resolved - short and long term. They should be given full control over the financial decisions of the diocese. Why would anyone believe that the bishops, who caused this disaster, can get them out of it.
The Irish bishops should all
The Irish bishops should all have resigned. Instead, here they are trying to con the faithful into paying for clerical sins! This is how to destroy the Church in Ireland!
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