Irish support groups have received a “steady flow” of calls from survivors of clerical sexual abuse, and their friends and families, following the release of Chapter 19 of the Murphy report on pedophile ex-priest Tony Walsh.
Walsh was previously jailed for the abuse of six boys. He has now been sentenced for the abuse of a further three boys. Dublin Rape Crisis Centre chief executive, Ellen O’Malley, said the flow of calls from victims and their family has been constant since the publication of Chapter 19.
Many of the calls the group has received have been from the parents of the victims. She said many of the parents did not believe their children when they said they had been abused. She said “These parents are absolutely heartbroken” and explained that in some of these cases “their children have taken their own lives”.
Maeve Lewis, director of One in Four, a support group for survivors of clerical abuse said there was a “big increase” in calls after the release of Chapter 19. She said “a lot of people calling were very upset and distressed and angry”.
Connect, a telephone counseling service, was open over the weekend and experienced an increase in calls.
Many of Walsh’s victims were abused in Ballyfermot, north Dublin. On December 12 Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin spoke in advance of the publication of Chapter 19 and apologized to the people of the parish.
Meanwhile Cardinal Sean Brady, who swore to secrecy the two child victims of pedophile Brendan Smyth 35 years ago, has said he will not resign, according to the Belfast Telegraph.
The renewed call for Cardinal Brady’s resignation came from the last woman to be abused by Smyth. The woman, who was 12 at the time of the abuse in 1993, said she would not have been raped by “the devil Smyth” if Brady “had done his job” and reported Smyth to the police in 1975 after Brady had interviewed children about him.
UTV, a television channel based in Northern Ireland, investigated the story and highlighted a statement by Cardinal Brady saying that if he thought his actions had damaged children, he would consider resigning.
On Friday, his spokesman said Cardinal Brady was only a priest at the time not a manager.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.forflann | Dec 27, 2010, 11:10 PM EST
At St Carthage the nuns only used a yard stick1
SingleDonald | Dec 22, 2010, 11:29 AM EST
Yes, Dudette, very little has been said about the Sisters! At least, they didn't engage in sexual abuse of boys or girls, at least not that I have heard of. I have heard of very nasty things taking place at a coed Catholic School, located in Astoria, Queens, N.Y.. Back in the 1960's, all classes were segregated. Boys and girls would only mingle (I think) in the cafeteria, or at assembly. It has been told to me, by a guy who was there at the time, that, if a girl was caught chewing gum, the sister would smear it into her hair, and make it stay there! This is cruel punishment, and the girl should have resisted, anyway she could! My friend told me that such a move would have resulted in the girl being expelled, especially if she had struck the nun; how reprehensible! I can't see a modern high school girl permitting a nun to do that to her!!
Dudette | Dec 21, 2010, 05:33 AM EST
Its disgusting what the Priests and the catholic church did they ruled the country at that time along with the garda, but what about the nuns beating children with canes? more is to come.......
breffnyblue | Dec 20, 2010, 12:03 PM EST
"only a priest"-any cleric who did not have the guts to stand up for frightened defenseless children does'nt have the character nor the judgement to be a manager-Cardinal Brady at least stand up now-resign! Yes, I do understand the almighty power the Church Hierarchy wielded at many levels- I know the trauma I went through just to refuse the Bishop's "offer" to go to MAYNOOTH seminary'at the end of my time as 'head prefect' in the diocesan boarding school back there in the fifties. At least I knew I did'nt belong!
pilib04 | Dec 20, 2010, 11:16 AM EST
sean cardinal brady should resign immediately as cardinal primate of all ireland. his actions or lack of action speak louder than any words he has to say on the matter. i can't believe that the church that i grew up in is so utterly bankrupt of any moral values and standards. survival of those in power seems to be the only constant. we need a clean sweep of all those involved from the vatican to the parish.
Portia777 | Dec 20, 2010, 09:53 AM EST
Just the beginning.