NEW YORK BOSTON |#Popular: Irish Celebrity Gossip Irish Pubs Irish Festivals Irish Roots Irish Entertainment Offbeat Irish

Home Page > News > Arrest Bishop John Magee for Cloyne cover-up

Arrest Bishop John Magee for Cloyne cover-up

Why Ireland needs to take a stand on abuse enablers

Irish Voice Editorial,

Published Wednesday, August 24, 2011, 7:18 AM

Updated Wednesday, August 24, 2011, 9:29 AM

Larger Text

E-mail

39 Comments

Former Bishop John Magee

The spectacle of Bishop John Magee abjectly apologizing this week for his utter failure to curb pedophile priests in his Cork diocese makes the blood run cold.

Magee bolted out of the country when the Cloyne report was made public. It was a devastating document, detailing in great precision the horrific cover-up.

Magee has now admitted his actions, which came after the flood of sexual abuse stories had been made public in Ireland.

In other words, Magee is culpable for placing children in harm’s way, and he has now admitted this. The next step should be to arrest the bishop.

If he was a school principal who knowingly ignored sexual abuse of pupils he undoubtedly would be apprehended.

If he was head of a brothel which knowingly trafficked in underage children he would be arrested. If he was head of a sect of child abusers and knowingly covered up their activities he would be put away.

-----------------------

Victims of Cloyne clerical abuse slam Bishop Magee’s comments

Three men sentenced to death for murder of Irish priest in Kenya

-----------------------

The clerical collar should be no reason not to do the right thing.

Here in America, authorities in Pennsylvania have arrested Monsignor William Lynn for exactly the same criminal behavior in failing to act against pedophile priests in his diocese.

They are even interviewing the former cardinal there to find out how much he knew and when he knew it.

Lynn is finding that the definition of criminal behavior when it comes to abusing kids does not stop at the perpetrator, but also includes the enabler.

Irish authorities should take the same path now that Magee has admitted his culpability. He has disgraced the church and carried out criminal actions by his failure to act against abuse of little boys and girls that he knew perfectly well was going on.

What else do we need to know about him?

It is also the case that every other priest and bishop in Ireland are being tarred by the refusal to cast out this evil among them.

If the church is ever to regain its reputation it must act to differentiate between those bishops and priests who do their best to act on their holy orders, and a runaway bishop who was openly condoning pedophile priests in his district.

Magee, no doubt, has powerful friends in the Vatican where he was secretary to three popes, but given the Vatican’s attempts to dictate even to Irish bishops who wanted to expose the sex abuse cases, that should not be enough to prevent prosecution.

Magee should be made an example of in a disgraceful episode that has scarred countless lives.

Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Enda Kenny has referred to the “sacred space” of childhood and the need to protect children.

What greater message could Irish authorities send than to arrest Magee as a child sex enabler, which he clearly was?

American authorities are proving they have the gumption to do this. Irish authorities should follow.

Nster.com

E-mail

39 Comments

15 - 39 | See all comments

supersurvivor77 | Sep 02, 2011, 07:45 PM EDT

CATHOLICABUSESURVIVORSNI.COM-- as he is clearly guilty of a crime witholding child rape evidence,in the same way as that other hypocrite cardinal brady they should be put in handcuffs and expose this islands cover up.

Report abuse

helmet365 | Aug 25, 2011, 08:37 PM EDT

Thank you for your posts, the imformation makes it a lot clearer to understand. The Commisson drew out a lot of facts,it appears the Bishop went well beyond wilful blindness.

Report abuse

JuneAnnette | Aug 25, 2011, 08:10 PM EDT

For your consideration . . . The Commission of Investigation Report into the Catholic Diocese of Cloyne states that a decision by the Vatican to brand a framework document on child sexual abuse, agreed by the Irish Bishops Conference in 1996, as “not an official document” effectively gave individual Irish bishops “the freedom to ignore” the guidelines.The commission says the response of the diocese was “inadequate and inappropriate” and that the primary responsibility for the failure to implement the agreed child sexual abuse procedures lies with then Bishop of Cloyne John Magee, who resigned in March 2010.“It is a remarkable fact that Bishop Magee took little or no active interest in the management of clerical child sexual abuse cases until 2008, 12 years after the framework document was adopted,” the report says.“It became clear during the course of this investigation that Bishop Magee had, to a certain extent, detached himself from the day to day management of child sexual abuse cases. Bishop Magee was the head of the diocese and cannot avoid his responsibility by blaming subordinates who he wholly failed to supervise.”It says that Bishop Magee wrongly told the government and the HSE that the Cloyne Diocese was reporting all allegations of clerical child sexual abuse to the authorities. It also said he deliberately misled people by creating two different accounts of a meeting with a priest accused of abuse.The inquiry, led by Judge Yvonne Murphy, said the fact that some child sexual abuse allegations were not reported to gardai was the diocese’s “greatest failure”.

Report abuse

helmet365 | Aug 25, 2011, 07:10 PM EDT

Good comment. You refer to if the former Bishop did hand off the task. Another way of looking at it is the former Bishop may have commited an act of willful blindness. For more on this look at an article is New Statesman called Wilful blindness-why we ignore the obvious at our peril.Let me know if it could apply.Regards.

Report abuse

seanomelbourne | Aug 25, 2011, 06:56 PM EDT

sirpeter I was born in Dublin educated in Dublin and worked in Dublin I also wore the uniform of the Irish navy.You and trealach may have had a life style whereby you did not have to immigrate. I read all points of view and respect the fact that people are entitled to differ.Their is no doubt that some of what he states has merit.How can he vindicate that an attack on the church is not warranted or anyone with a contra view is a moron.

Report abuse

Tilliewillow | Aug 25, 2011, 06:36 PM EDT

If the former Bishop did hand off the task, he must have determined it was not important enough for HIM. That in itself speaks volumes about him as a man and more importantly, a man of God, which I do not believe him to be. As a manager previously in life, I can tell you that no matter who does the job, the manager is still responsibe,. I just think he did not care.

Report abuse

Abused.N.I | Aug 25, 2011, 05:19 PM EDT

He should be arrested and made to answers all the questions put to him.Another rat trying to get away from the sinking ship.But he can't understand what he and others like him have done wrong And they will still continue to do so,because they really believe that they are above man and god's law,they are that much brain-washed that they believe they are doing no wrong.

Report abuse

JuneAnnette | Aug 25, 2011, 10:46 AM EDT

Source: Irish Central / Article: Memo to Irish Catholic Church: Your services are no longer needed /Posted by Father Tim at 7/4/2009/ EXCERPT: “My friends, For the Catholic Church in Ireland, the game is over. The Irish people, and I am convinced it is the majority, no longer wish to have the Catholic Church in their country, or in their lives, and possibly not in their faith. I cannot blame them. The Church is solely to blame for this, from front to back, start to finish. It is reaping what it sowed. Although running away from a fire rather than toward it is not the example many of us in the Church believe should be our service to God and His Children, it may be best for all that we settle up our debts, hand over our criminals, and catch the next plane out of Dublin. I am sure that, after a transition period, many of the services the Church provides in Ireland can be contracted to others, and I would hope whatever damage settlements we must and should pay will smoothe that changeover. There is simply no way that an institution so horribly tainted and so utterly mistrusted can or should speak in the name of Jesus Christ in Ireland, nor attempt to project spiritual and moral leadership.”***Shortly after writing his scathing condemnation of the Roman Catholic “church “Fr. Tim”, a Jesuit priest, "went missing" as they say, and his blog no longer appears on the roster of blogs at Irish Central! No one seems to know the whereabouts of “Fr. Tim” but in all likelihood, he has been spirited off to some remote monastery consigned to a life of penance and silence for the unforgiveable crime of telling the TRUTH!

Report abuse

helmet365 | Aug 25, 2011, 03:06 AM EDT

Trealach, You should listen to other peoples experiences as the Catholic Church is universal, the same rules apply everywhere.You feel threatened at the thought of members of the clergy being charged and convicted. I note from the press in Victoria, Australia,"abuse by two Catholic members of the clergy are responsible for 26 suicides,say Police". Thats not to mention many others who are suffering. The Church must change or die. Your attitude is only helping this happen.

Report abuse

Collette2 | Aug 25, 2011, 01:05 AM EDT

Trealach, your mentality on these issues honestly beggars belief and actually, makes my hair stand on end. This is nothing to do with a difference of opinion between the two of us, it goes much deeper than that and to me, it comes across as if there is or has been, a vested interest somewhere along the way on your part, and if serious, to be honest, I wouldn't want you to be the one sitting on a case of mine, or my family if in those cirmcumstances. Let's set an example here, for Catholics around the world. These men should be jailed for their crimes, in the same cell as those who covered up for them, to repent in leisure.

Report abuse

sirpeter | Aug 24, 2011, 09:25 PM EDT

@seanomelbourne.I kinda like Trealach.He doesn't go with the flow so I read his posts.He's passionate and no matter how he says it,which I like anyway I listen to the content of what he types and I have to say there is nothing that really provokes me.I'm not an expert in law and I hate debating religion.But he might be right.No disrespect to your posts.I like yours too.But I think he's opening up the debate.I may be wrong and he can correct me if I am.But because the Irish diaspora left Ireland he has little time for ye debating Irish affairs and calling for any Irish head on a plate.Even the guilty ones.Personally I think ye do have a right to have a say in Irish affairs,but on the other hand ye chose to leave, and in Trealach mind,like my own.To live in Ireland is real and those who left.Well while some give something back to the Irish people and Ireland who payed for their education and the proud Irish heritage that the Irish diaspora cling to with some passion in a sea of foreign identities.Most give nothing at all but play at been Irish like alot here.Well to Trealach it's not a game and it's not a game to me either.

Report abuse

CER1940 | Aug 24, 2011, 08:32 PM EDT

Magee has shown himself to be totally without morals, totally without the smallest bit of courage and totally without any concern or compassion for children or mankind. He should at the very least be tried for covering up for the abusers of children. According to the bible, he should have a mill stone tied around his neck and be cast into the sea. I think he is a reflection of the RCC hierarchy that resides in the Vatican where he spent years.

Report abuse

Snowdrop | Aug 24, 2011, 06:55 PM EDT

A crime is a crime. Arrest him and those he enabled to perpetuate crimes against Irish children. No trials. sell off their embroaiderd garments, skill caps, and golden chalices. The only father I respect is my own, now.

Report abuse

tundish45 | Aug 24, 2011, 06:38 PM EDT

The discussion in the comments suggests the Bish either (1) directly knew and covered up and/or enabled additional abuse or (2) Delegated the responsibility for curbing abuse and trusted the subordinates, but did not double check. Sounds like the prosecutors have a preliminary job here to figure out if it is #1 or #2. Obviously if it is #1, he goes to trial. If it looks like he has a level of deniability due to delegations, a trial might be the right means to determine his role and responsibility.

Report abuse

seanomelbourne | Aug 24, 2011, 06:20 PM EDT

Trealach lives in a world of denial defending the indefensible. Blaming the taoiseach for the sins of the bishops is pathetic,and to state that magee is above the law is ridiculous.Trealach's whinging and his attempt to stifle debate by the Irish diaspora is farcical and sad.

Report abuse