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Archbishop Diarmuid Martin hits back at church critics

Says bishops did mishandle sex abuse cases

By
PATRICK COOPER,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer
Published Wednesday, August 25, 2010, 7:22 AM
Updated Wednesday, August 25, 2010, 7:31 AM

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Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin
Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin


The child sex abuse scandal is “not an invention of the media”  as some claimed the embattled Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin said yesterday.

He said Catholics in Ireland were rightly shocked not just by the sex abuse crimes but by the way the crimes were handled by the hierarchy.
Speaking in Rimini  at the gathering of the Italian Catholic lay group, Communione E Liberazione, Martin made  hard hitting defence of his zero tolerance policy which observers say has been seriously undermined by the Vatican decision to reinstate two bishops he had forced to retire. He was given a long ovation by the 2,500 leading Italian Catholics in attendance

Martin stated many religious in Ireland were completely out of touch with what was happening to the faith in Ireland.

“The problem is that many in Ireland and in the Irish church . . . continue to act as if they were still living in a majority Catholic culture. Instead he said “Ireland is undergoing a true revolution in its religious culture.

“Many foreign observers still think that Ireland is a stronghold of traditional Catholicism. They are surprised to discover, as I was when I returned to Ireland (in 2004), that there are parishes in Dublin where Mass attendance on Sundays is less than 5 per cent, or even as low as 2 per cent in some cases.

He said much of the media coverage was misinfomed but“ Nonetheless, it has to be underlined without any ambiguity that the scandal of the sex abuse of children by priests and religious in Ireland truly is a scandal and not an invention of the media.

“It is the faithful of all ages who are scandalised not only by the facts of the abuse but above all by the manner in which horrible abuses of children were treated by the hierarchy . . .”

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16 Comments

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jacersisityourself | Aug 26, 2010, 05:13 PM EDT
Patrick Cooper’s at it again – misrepresenting facts. There is a Press Council in Ireland who’s stated First Principle is “Truth and Accuracy”. Patrick Cooper will never get or maintain a press job in Ireland if he continues with his history of misrepresentation of facts. I’ll just pick three: 1. The article above, 3rd para. 2. His article of 23rd August last, 4th para. 3. His article of 13th August last, 1st para. All contain untruths and inaccuracies – each one repeating the same inaccuracy. Now, Patrick – I don’t like to see Press ppl getting things so badly wrong, so let me take you aside for a wee bit of advice: “Get your facts right before you write”. Hopefully, for you and IrishCentral in the USA, there isn’t a similar Council for the Press that insists on Truth and Accuracy. Otherwise, if there is, there’ll be someone there who will roast you for your persistent lies. You have been clearly told by other posters, never mind jacers here, how wrong you have been. Get it right, and apologise.

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nosoupforU | Aug 26, 2010, 12:34 AM EDT
I was an Alter Boy. Saw drunken priests serving mass. I now live by the teaching of Christ but no longer support the Catholic Church. Christ said "whosoever hurts these little ones then it is better for him to be cast into the sea with a millstone around his neck" (paraprhase). Today that equates to a transfer to another parish. There must be a special place in hell reserved for these priests and the bishops who turn a blind eye. They are all dependant on our generosity. Without our support they will either wither on the vine or straighten up. How many skinney bishops do you know. Caps deliberately omitted.

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mairdemalone | Aug 25, 2010, 09:57 PM EDT
The Roman Catholic's Autocratic Bureaucracy still feels, now, as it did over the past centuries, ever since the first Synod, that priests telling lies to cover up "their brothers' sins" is OK -as long as you don't get caught! They are very ignorant for not knowing: No matter how deep they bury the TRUTH, its light will eventually surface and blind them with the FACTS. The Roman Catholic Hierarchy has done to Christianity what Luther, and all of the other Protestant movement could not do: Destroy the Roman Catholic Church! There is still HOPE. If the Pope allows ordinary priest to marry, like the Bizantium Christian Church, and women play a larger role, entering the priesthood for one, there is hope.

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McNamara31 | Aug 25, 2010, 04:38 PM EDT
God Bless Archbishop Diarmuid Martin. He speaks truth as spiritual leader should, rather than the empty words and actions coming from a Vatican represented more by lawyers than men of God.

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GeorgeDillon | Aug 25, 2010, 04:12 PM EDT
Martin tends to be popular with atheists, lapsed Catholics and Protestants. We Catholics dislike him.

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norinalundy | Aug 25, 2010, 01:21 PM EDT
Amen

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bcoc1124 | Aug 25, 2010, 12:31 PM EDT
A true hero!

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glorybe1929 | Aug 25, 2010, 12:02 PM EDT
My Mother-in -law's maiden name was Martin. Good for you ...Now's the times to get the heck out of there. God Bless you..you know "HE will neverleave you or forsake you!" The Kingdom of God is Within you! No one can take that away from you. If you don't leave you are aiding and abetting in the crimes committed. They have been Crimes Against Humanity since the inception of the RCchurch mid. 1st cent. Trust in The Lord with all your heart, all your mind and all your soul. HE loves you! You know all that but put it there. I love what Qixotic said.

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glorybe1929 | Aug 25, 2010, 11:46 AM EDT
Well, what's wrong with Martin, speaking the TRUTH?? Too late for most of us and especially me. Guess the Good Irish DO REALLY KNOW RIGHT FROM WRONG AND ARE STAYING A WAY IN DROVES. Wish the rest of the RC world were as smart.

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FlynnMcCool | Aug 25, 2010, 11:42 AM EDT
Crash goes the Multi-headed Hydra known as The Catholic Church in all it's 24 rites, or "heads"! Long May it burn!

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Godscre | Aug 25, 2010, 10:13 AM EDT
'The British government and the Roman Catholic church colluded to cover up the suspected involvement of a priest in a 1972 bombing that killed nine people and injured 30, a new report said Tuesday.' AP The Priest was Rev. James Chesney as the prime suspect in the blast. The Church covered up murder in Ireland? When will the love of Christ finally control the hierarchy, our moral leaders?? How can we trust them? Trust only Jesus. He has compassion on children and animals.

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CitizenWhy | Aug 25, 2010, 09:45 AM EDT
Sad how religion, to so many, is primarily tribal rather than spiritual, transformative and courageous in facing unpleasant truths.

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maryjeandc | Aug 25, 2010, 09:34 AM EDT
It is astonishing how the hierarchy can ignore reality. Their institutional arrogance is unbounded.

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ripley838 | Aug 25, 2010, 09:10 AM EDT
Speaking of 'out of touch...', Benedict XVI should have listened to Bishop Martin's speech.

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ganjadec | Aug 25, 2010, 09:00 AM EDT
Good for him! We, the people of Ireland MUST stand behind this man, even if it means a split from Rome. The truth is out, no point trying to cover it up now.

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