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PDF versionIrish sex abuse victims said to be close to despair
Clergy abuse survivors met with Dublin archbishop Feb. 19
Feb. 19, 2010
Pope Benedict XVI meets with Irish bishops at the Vatican Feb. 15. (CNS)
DUBLIN, Ireland -- Victims of clerical child sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Dublin said they are close to despair because the church will not take full responsibility for covering up the abuse.
Clergy abuse survivors met with Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin Feb. 19 to discuss the outcome of the meeting of Irish bishops with Pope Benedict XVI and senior officials from the Roman Curia. The Feb. 15-16 Vatican meeting reviewed a November report by an independent commission that investigated how the Dublin Archdiocese handled complaints of clerical child sexual abuse between 1975 and 2004.
The commission, headed by Judge Yvonne Murphy, "found that the church deliberately covered up allegations of child abuse, but the only senior person who seems to accept that is Archbishop Martin," Maeve Lewis, director of the One in Four abuse survivors' group, told Catholic News Service.
She said that in the statement issued by the Vatican Feb. 16, the pope only accepted ''the failure of Irish church authorities for many years to act effectively in dealing with cases involving the sexual abuse of young people by some Irish clergy and religious."
"That is not good enough," she said, adding that the abuse survivors want "complete acceptance by the pope of the findings of the Murphy report."
"Archbishop Martin also told us that there was a chance that the pope wouldn't accept the resignations of the three auxiliary bishops named in the report who have offered him their resignation. If that would happen, the victims would find it unbelievable, they really would despair," she added.
Four bishops criticized in the Murphy report have offered their resignations, but so far the pope has officially accepted only one of them.
Asked about the idea of the pope meeting survivors, Lewis said: "Without a meaningful dialogue it's hopeless. The pope would have to listen to survivors and accept what they say before there could be some kind of reconciliation, but that seems to be an unlikely proposition given the way meetings between the pope and survivors of clerical abuse were handled in Australia and the U.S."
Another survivor, Marie Collins, told RTE News that she was "totally depressed by what transpired at the meeting" with the Dublin archbishop.
She said Archbishop Martin "seemed like a defeated man. He told us he had passed on our concerns to the pontiff, but that none of them were addressed."
Collins was among the survivors who reacted with a mix of anger and disappointment to the Vatican statement about the papal meeting with Irish bishops. She told CNS she thought the statement was "pathetic" and "so far away from accepting that there was a policy of cover-up."
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"I wasn't expecting much from the meeting, but the fact that the resignation of bishops was not even on the agenda had been insulting," she said.
Christine Buckley, who was abused in a home run by the Sisters of Mercy, said in a statement that the meeting was "an absolute and utter charade from beginning to end."
"It was a pretend slap on the hand from Pope Benedict," she said.
Buckley said she had hoped the pope would announce that he was coming to Ireland to meet with victims of institutional and sexual abuse when he visits Britain in September.
Michael O'Brien of Right to Peace, a group for victims of clergy sexual abuse, told CNS that his first reaction to the news from Rome was one of disbelief.
"It's unbelievable what we heard today from the pope," he said after the Vatican statement was issued Feb. 16. "This is the man who is in charge of the Catholic Church worldwide, and he hadn't even the gumption to say he was sorry for what happened to us.
"All he's done now is to add salt to the wounds, and this is very hurtful," he added. "We were expecting something and we got nothing."
The Vatican statement said Pope Benedict called sexual abuse of children and young people "a heinous crime" and "a grave sin which offends God and wounds the dignity of the human person created in his image." The statement said the pope "challenged the bishops to address the problems of the past with determination and resolve and to face the present crisis with honesty and courage."
Father Patrick McCafferty, who as a boy in Northern Ireland was abused by a priest, said he was trying desperately to take something positive from the meetings.
"There's such raw and deep hurt that it's going to take a long, long time to ever recover what's been lost," he said.
Shortly after the meetings, in response to criticism of the fact that the Vatican statement did not contain an apology, Archbishop Martin said "there comes a time when repeating the word apology may even be empty."
He also said the bishops and Vatican officials agreed beforehand that they would not discuss bishops' resignations.
A spokesman for Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen said the government was "considering the (Vatican) statement" and recognized the great progress the church has made in safeguarding children.
Alan Shatter, Irish opposition spokesman, said it was "regrettable that the press release did not refer to the failure of the papal nuncio and the Vatican to cooperate with the Murphy commission's investigation into the manner in which the church has dealt with child sexual abuse."
Shatter also criticized the fact that the papal nuncio to Ireland, Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza, has refused to appear before a parliamentary committee to discuss the failure of his office to respond to queries from the judicial commission.
"I am repeating my call on the Vatican and the Irish hierarchy to bring about a change of attitude and to engage in constructive, transparent dialogue with regard to the manner in which the church has dealt with the issue of clerical child abuse and the failure of the Vatican to provide assistance to the Murphy commission when it was sought," Shatter said.
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Contributing to this story was Michael Kelly.
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Editor's Note: The full text of the final statement is here: Final statement of pope-Irish bishops meeting
The Irish government ought
The Irish government ought expel the papal nuncio. That might get a civil reaction from the Vatican.
It must be terrible for
It must be terrible for Catholic journalists writing up these dreadful articles with, I presume an Irish background.
Who better though than one with an Irish heart.
I know I could never remain objective.
Editor, The Irish Times In
Editor, The Irish Times
In relation to your "Irish sex abuse victims said to be close to despair" story (February 19) your readers may find of interest this short letter published today (February 22) in the Irish Times, our leading daily:
Madam, - Now that other reactions have trodden familiar ground could I suggest that we focus now on the "weakening of faith" reference in our Pope's response to Irish sex abuse?
In all religions the faith of both clergy and laity is sustained most of all by preaching. It is self-evident that Irish Catholic preaching has sustained poorly for the past 42 years despite the large audiences at Masses for most of that period. Sex abuse of all kinds is but a tiny percentage of the negative effects.
That fact is, I suggest, what we should now address. Yours etc.
Joseph F. Foyle, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
The refusal to admit
The refusal to admit ownership of the cover-up of sexual abuse even at the highest, holiest(?) levels of the church hierarchical structure is a crime in itself and needs to be investigated as any other crime. Benedict XVI – this is the man that changed the words of the Mass so that THE LAITY could say the words, "I have *greatly* sinned...through my most *grievous* fault..." Perhaps HE should be saying these words to God, to himself and to all sexual abuse victims and their families.
What kind of leadership is this? John Paul, the original master of the sex abuse cover-up, adds 5 new decades to the Rosary instead of responding to the needs of his worldwide flock. Benedict, co-conspirator in the cover up revises the Missal instead of acting to resolve the situation. Meanwhile, there are new sex abuse victims each day that are robbed of their childhood and who must spend their lives picking up the pieces and wondering why the church did not act to protect them.
"Even God can not satisfy
"Even God can not satisfy some people's needs". I'm sure the victims will find some consolation in the money and 15 minutes of fame they are receiving. As often happens when the poor perceive power, they become oppressors of their own. They will demand Eucharist and last rites but there will be no one left to minister to them. Be careful what you wish for! Mistakes were made and people hurt, but enough is enough. Where is the coverage of all the Church is doing to protect children? There is no safer place for children than the Catholic Church. Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter...but some shepherds will strike back refusing to be sacrificial sheep led to the slaughter on the altar of ignorance and power lust.
Astonishing. Not so
Astonishing. Not so astonishing that it comes from someone hiding behind the name 'Anonymous.'
Please describe, my anonymous friend, how an abuse survivor goes about being "a good victim" to your satisfaction.
Should they ignore their own pain, as well as the symptoms that follow an abuse survivor such as (to name a few) failed relationships and marriages, addiction, social maladjustment, difficulty with authority, absence of faith?
Should they follow the admonition from those who'd find it convenient, and in Christ-like fashion "forgive" those who've neither shown contrition nor made amends?
How about those who realize that they weren't the first victim of an abusive priest or religious, but the fifth or the tenth or the twentieth or perhaps the hundredth. Or perhaps the tenth since the abuser's bishop or religious superior became aware of the abuser's problem?
No, they won't demand Eucharist or last rites. They may be loathe to have their children baptized, or unable to enter the church in order to do so. The Sacrament of Penance becomes rather difficult for one who's been raped or forcibly buggered in a confessional, you see.
Who are you, Anonymous?
Who are you to dare tell abuse survivors that "enough" in your naive judgement "is enough?"
Did you have your innocence and faith stolen by a priest, brother, or nun whom you trusted?
I think not.
The pain, anger and truth in
The pain, anger and truth in your statement needed to be said. I have not been abused but went to high school and seminary (before he was kicked out of the sem) with a young man who paid his own money to get into another seminary, find a bishop and get ordained.
I heard about him being moved from parish to parish, diocese to diocese, and between two countries. In those days I naively thought it was an "alcohol problem." Now he is in a state prison for a long time for pedophilia. There was a time when those of us at the bottom of the heap were ignorant, even stupid about these things (I'm talking about the early 1950s). There is no excuse at all today. None! It takes people like you to yell out what is going on and what to do about it. Thank you So much. I am no longer as naive as I was then, thank God. I try to support and work hard to stop this, first of all for the victims and potential victims and only then for the "Church" .Again, thank you so much!!
Your message is riddled with
Your message is riddled with half-truths, worn out clichés, absurd conclusions, outright falsehoods and garbled biblical images. Even so, here is an effort to respond to your various points.
About the "15 minutes of "fame," do you equate 'fame' with, say, a person who miraculously survives a head-on collision, unfortunately loses several family members in the accident but is interviewed on the 10 o'clock News? The victims of priestly sexual abuse would give anything not to have that kind of 'fame.'
About "Eucharist and 'last rites,'" All the Pope has to do to ease the priest shortage and ensure that there are an adequate number of priests for parish placements is admit married men into the seminaries.
"Mistakes were made..." The 'mistakes' were made mostly by the hierarchy that did not use their own intelligence and common sense to get rid of the offending priests, but, instead relied on whatever 'Holy Father' was in power at the time to make the decision.
And now for our moment of comic relief: "There is no safer place for chldren than the Catholic Church." Really? Where? The ordinations already have been held and parish placements made for those psychologically impaired men allowed into seminaries in the last 30 years. Some got caught; others are currently pastors and assistants in parishes, some are leaders of youth groups. Others still are being protected by their bishops. But the situation has not changed. Psychologically impaired individuals are today being admitted into seminaries. This story does not end. It only gets pathetically worse.
The "Church" is looking to
The "Church" is looking to keep its insurance premiums low, and that means some kind of inservice regarding
the protection of children in its care.
In his outstanding work
In his outstanding work "Constantine and the Bishops: The Politics of Intolerance", the historian/sociologist H.A. Drake writes: "Historians increasingly are aware of the dangers that ensue from failing to recognize what one has called 'the perennial tendency to apply theological categories to disagreements over political power within the church.' Here too Alinsky (Saul Alinsky, the famous community organizer) had a rule. 'To operate on a good-will rather than on a power basis,' he decided after a lifetime of experience and reflection, 'would be to attempt something that the world had not yet experienced (p.30).'"
Clerical abuse is now in the 'public arena' (something the pope and bishops have unsuccessfully worked hard, even subconsciously, to prevent) and so with Alinsky's insight, Irish Catholic lay and undoubtedly some clergy must develop a power base that can take on the limitations of the 'papal episcopacy' with the view of seriously disrupting the benefits that come with present arrangements. With the decline of vocations for sustaining this 'power over' system comes the challenge of developing an organic lay leadership. In this light let me recommend Neil Cole's "Organic Leadership:Leading Naturally Right Where You Are" for a bracing analysis of some downsides of clerical systems in general and hints about alternatives. No wailing over ecclesiastical injustice and insensitivity. They've got their power to protect themselves and they act instinctively. If you will, arrange some for yourselves. If not, withdrawal, thanks be to God, is (thanks to the secularists) always a possibility.
The phenomenon which
The phenomenon which characterizes this reponse is no different than the phenomenon which was at the heart of this scandal -- the organizing concern is protecting authority above all else.
I appreciate the NCR's
I appreciate the NCR's reporting on this matter. However, I agree with Martin Leahy that the Pope is just protecting authority. I believe this is sinful. The hierarchy in question in Ireland should be fired and turned over to the police authorities. If the Pope is short Bishops, he should figure another way to deal with the problem. Don't keep misguided old or young men in power in our Church. Maybe a class in ethics is in order, or a diligent re-read of the 10 commandments and all their implications.
Perhaps the shortage of priests/bishops is the Holy Spirit showing us a 'new way.' Maybe lay leadership could be considered. Women in places of 'true' leadership within the church another answer. The options can be as vast as your thinking can go. But allowing injustice and corruptness to continue is outrageous. It makes thoughtful, conscientous Catholics want to flee the flock of the so-called faithful. To whom are these unethical priests faithful? Surely NOT the Lord our God and Father!
Since the bishops exercise
Since the bishops exercise authority in the Church as the college of bishops, they should all accept collective responsibility for the sexual abuse of the innocent and poor and resign so that the local churches can start anew with bishops that take their responsibility seriously. They were all aware of the system of shielding priests from accusations by moving them around. It had been practiced for years and years.
This problem in Ireland is
This problem in Ireland is following the same pattern as it had in America.
It is good that there has been progress in "child protection measures" for future children, but that does not help our victims of the past. The pope should repeat his words he made years ago that all must listen to our 'consience' even if it disagrees with Catholic Church Teachings when we decern a grevious wrong has been done. If 'we' are the church, then we must continue our opposition to the deadly errors of the heirarchy and seek help for victims until all of them have been heard and helped. A personal letter of apology from the pope to each verified victim in the world would be a start in their healing. With God's help, IT CAN BE DONE!!
Many of us remain in the church but if this is not resolved soon it will be the beginning of a "new" church that practices only God's written Word, not rules made by mere men. If Catholic means Universal, then Universal Church would be a good name for a renewed church.
Before assuming the supposed
Before assuming the supposed progress made by the Church to protect children from criminal sexual acts, check it out carefully. For example, many dioceses in the USA adopted the VIRTUS Protecting God's Children program in order to comply w/ the Dallas Charter. The most important component of that program, as the good folks at VIRTUS will tell you, is the continuing education aspect. But, the USCCB office which is suppose to monitor whether the dioceses are complying w/ the Dallas Charter, thru the occasional audits of them, deliberately refrain from asking the dioceses whether their clergy and others who have regular contact w/ children are actually participating in the continuing education, despite the fact that the VIRTUS system has that information readily available to the dioceses. When I asked the head of the Office of Child & Youth Protection why the audits did not ask for that information (knowing, in my diocese, Grand Rapids, MI, that some groups, particularly the majority of the priests, were not doing it), I was told it was not what the audits were intended to do, they were intended to see whether the diocese had a plan, not whether it was actually following the plan, according to her understanding from the bishops. When I brought this to the attention of Judge Merz, then head of the National Review Board, both in person & in writing, I got a lot of words but nothing to indicate that any change would or could be made. He toed the bishops' line as well. Yet the Charter was promoted by the bishops as "ensur-[ing] the accountability of our procedures".
Do you still think the "progress" has been "good"? If the above is not sufficient, check out what happened to Cardinal George after the Archdiocese of Chicago not only admitted not following its plan to protect children by failing to prevent access by its Fr. McCormick to its children, allowing him to continue to criminally assault them, it violated Illinois law by failing to comply w/ its manditory reporting statues. How was he held accountable? He was then elected by his fellow bishops as the head of the USCCB!
I read: "an absolute and
I read: "an absolute and utter charade from beginning to end" is the considered response of the abused to the pope.
There is nothing the pope or the Church can do to alleviate the feelings of the abused.
All the Church can do is continue to preach the word of God. Leave the past behind and get on with the future. We Irish are finding it hard to hang on to the faith. By only listening to the abused we have no future.
By listening to the abused,
By listening to the abused, we can fashion a better church. Ignore their difficlt message and it will happen again.
There is no easy answer to
There is no easy answer to this situation, this is what evil does...it undermines faith. I think one would need the Wisdom of Solomon to be able to find a solution to satisfy all in the sad situation. I know it is difficult but FORGIVENESS has to a big part of this process and that is not easy for the victims...Let us pray and hope a solution will be found
Yes, forgiveness is
Yes, forgiveness is important, but it is not appropriate if the wrongdoer has not acknowledged her or his role in causing the harm at issue. Neither the Pope nor any bishop of whom I am aware have ever acknowledged that the rules and structures which they put into place had any part in victimizing children, despite the finding of the Ferns, Ryan & Murphy reports, not to mention the multitude of similar reports in the US, Australia, Austria, & now Germany & probably others which I have missed. To the extent the evil which allowed the perpetrators of abuse to continue to assault children undermines faith, those who failed "to stand in solidarity with crime victims in their pain and loss, insisting that all our institutions reach out to them with understanding, compassion, and healing" have underminded the faith, I suspect, of many, &, if it is God's will, will have to answer for it [quoting "Responsibility, rehabilitation and restoration: a Catholic perspective on crime and criminal justice / a statement of the Catholic Bishops of the United States, 12-2000]. So will, if it is God's will, those of us who stand by & do not seek accountablility for the lack of leadership in our Church.
The link to the statement
The link to the statement from the pope-bishops meeting seems to be broken. I am sorry the Irish Church which gave so much to Australia in the early to mid 20th Century is undergoing this travail.
here's the link (and it is
here's the link (and it is fixed up above) http://ncronline.org/node/17072
There is nothing the pope or
There is nothing the pope or the Church can do to satisfy the needs of those abused by Irish clerics.
The Church in Ireland should just hang on in there as faithfully as possible. Even though the Church is almost mortally wounded the faithful should try to remain with it in these very difficult times.
I submitted a post some time ago and it was not published. What proportion of posts submitted are published?
Yes, there is something the
Yes, there is something the Pope & the bishops can & should do to both help the survivors of criminal sexual abuse by clergy & others for whom the Church is responsible. They can look to the "best practices" of other organizations, civil as well as ecclesiastical, to see how such abuse is handled, and learn from them. As a Church, they can follow the example of Jesus, who always showed compassion for those who were victimized by the powerful. Another thing would be to look at the practices & procedures of the Church which the Murphy Report concluded enabled abusers & those who failed to supervise them. To say there is nothing which the Church can do to satisfy the needs of those who were abused is to simply wash one's hands of the issue, & that is neither a Christian response or at all empathetic.
In the USA, the bishops could go far to caring for the survivors of criminal sexual abuse by reading & following the recommendations made in their December, 2000 publication, "Responsibility, rehabilitation & restoration: a Catholic perspective on crime & criminal justic". The bishops of Ireland would do well to read & follow its recommendations, as well.
The "measures to protect
The "measures to protect children" are a joke. In our diocese, all the lay catechists had to go to classes about how to avoid abusing children. We are all parents and none of us are abusing children. How about just reporting the abusers to the police and throwing them in jail, like every other group does?
The answer is simple. We
The answer is simple. We Irish battered Catholics have to hang on in there and remain with the Church, of which we are a part.
Reprimanding the pope, the hierarchy and the clergy is not really our most constructive response.
I have submitted here several times, but none of my posts has appeared. What criteria for acceptance are used?
noellfitz on Feb. 23,
noellfitz on Feb. 23, 2010.
You stated:
"The answer is simple. We Irish battered Catholics have to hang on in there and remain with the Church, of which we are a part.
Reprimanding the pope, the hierarchy and the clergy is not really our most constructive response.
I have submitted here several times, but none of my posts has appeared. What criteria for acceptance are used?"
-----------------------------------------------
All of your posts have appeared. It just takes a little time. And in speaking of time---it is high time that the Irish people do more than "hang on in there and remain with the Church." You ARE the CHURCH! You need to keep on insisting "in season and out of season" with unrelenting persistence, that the official Church be accountable to YOU! No more secrecy. No more hiding the truth. No more moving priests from one site to another site to abuse more youngsters. And in the Murphy Report---those bishops who were pinpointed as main culprits----they should not be given a moment's peace until they do resign---with or without the Pope's permission.
If you do not act----you will surely experience abuse again and again.
Yes, not only will the sheep
Yes, not only will the sheep scatter when the shepherd is disgraced but they have already scattered, many to much greener pastures.
It's a normal,natural, rational human reaction when the House of God is no longer the House of God but the province of a male caste of whitened sepulchres.
The people have no other choice if they are to keep their faith intact and healthy.
I read Dan Dick's post with
I read Dan Dick's post with concern.
Is he suggesting we all should leave the Church? If so I disgaree.
Thanks Little Bear for your post. I disagree with you too.
I know I am part of the Church, the People of God, the Mystical Body of Christ.
You wrote "You ARE the CHURCH! You need to keep on insisting "in season and out of season" with unrelenting persistence, that the official Church be accountable to YOU! No more secrecy".
I do not want the pope emailing or texting me accounting to me for all he does, no more than I want what I say in confession appearing in Facebook.
There is a place for secrecy and due process.
Noelfttz - Little Bear, as I
Noelfttz -
Little Bear, as I read the post, did not ask for the Pope to email or text about all that he does. I ask you why you feel the need to characterize the request for accountability for our leaders in that fashion? It appears to me that you approve of the way our Church's leaders have handled the situations in the USA, Ireland, Austria, Australia, Canada & probably other locations where predators for whom the Church is responsible, clergy & lay, preyed on children. Is that accurate? If so, I think those who think otherwise, as I do [see previous posts] deserve some explanation, the facts as you see them & the reasoning you find persuasive.
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