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Dublin Archbishop calls for independent inquiry into pedophile Fr Brendan Smyth

Stance puts him in direct opposition to Vatican who oppose external inquiries

DARA KELLY,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Monday, May 7, 2012, 7:21 AM

Updated Monday, May 7, 2012, 10:18 AM

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Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin

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Diarmuid Martin, the Archbishop of Dublin, has called for an independent investigation into the abuse of children by Fr Brendan Smyth, saying only a full inquiry would reveal the "full story" of his crimes.

Smyth is said to have abused over 100 kids in parishes in Northern Ireland, the Republic, the US, Italy and Wales. Smyth died in prison in 1997.

The Smyth case brought down the Irish government in 1994 when it was revealed they had delayed an extradition order for him which allowed him to continue to abuse. Now he may bring down Cardinal Sean Brady, Primate of All-Ireland, who is accused of covering up for him after a 1987 inquiry he took part in.

Martin’s stance may put him once again at odds with the Vatican, who have been deeply reluctant to allow outside inquiries of alleged misdeeds by priests.

Martin also said that since the abuse took place in the Republic, Northern Ireland, and the United States, only an international investigation would suffice.

His statement was “welcomed and supported” by a spokesman for Cardinal Sean Brady.

On RTE's "This Week", Martin said he was calling for "An independent commission of investigation into the activities of Brendan Smyth, as to how he was allowed to abuse for so many years. A commission that would look north and south, Church and State."

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Earlier, commenting to the media outside Mass he stated, “We’re getting all these bits and pieces of information about a horrible situation, what Brendan Smyth did to children.”

He believes “that until all of this story in its entirety comes out, we are not doing justice to those who were abused and we’re not really getting at the truth”.

He said it wasn’t “fashionable today to talk about commissions, but I do really believe that an independent commission of investigation into the activities of Brendan Smyth, as to how he was allowed to abuse for so many years. An independent commission, which would look North and South, church and State.”

Asked about the position of Cardinal Brady, who has been widely attacked for covering up for Smyth, Martin said, “I’ve never called for anybody’s resignation. I’ve never done that. Everybody has to make their own decisions.”

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pilib04 | May 08, 2012, 08:15 PM EDT

Gaelic scholar, IrelandNorth does the blog a service by providing such interesting information. Go raibh maith agat.

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eiriamach | May 08, 2012, 02:42 PM EDT

I just read in the Belfast Telegraph that Cardinal Brady will not resign. How did he decide? you might ask. Well, he decided not by praying and asking for enlightenment from God, not by consulting public opinion, not by asking why still more Catholics are exiting the Church in anger, nor even by examining his own conscience. He decided by asking the Vatican: "Dr Brady said there was no indication from the Holy See that it wanted him to resign." Is there anyone besides the cardinal who does not see what's wrong with his decision procedure?

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McNamara31 | May 08, 2012, 12:19 PM EDT

The Vatican will be VERY concerned if a bishop or cardinal were to resign because they are the legal buffer and storm wall between what was carried out between the churches (worldwide) and the Vatican during decades of abuse claims. All the Vatican needs is a very “disgruntled” cardinal or bishop opening up and naming names and internal policies. Why else was Cardinal Law given prestige and beautiful basilica in Rome when such crimes had occurred on his watch in Boston? His silence was rewarded.

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eiriamach | May 08, 2012, 07:57 AM EDT

casualMBA, what kind of English language do you speak? Excluding women from fully participating in their religion, such as in the priesthood, IS misogynist. Do you have the delusion that you can blatantly discriminate against an entire group and still consider them equal to you? Has some male priest convinced you that it's morally OK to exclude women and not consider yourself a hypocrite when you say you believe in the equal moral value of everyone?

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IrelandNorth | May 08, 2012, 06:03 AM EDT

Shalom, EpharimKibbey! Avoiding inheritance ri[gh]tes was a major motivating factor in the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church's (HRC&AC's) proscription of it's clergy marrying. But patriarchal and misogynistic failure to appreciate the concept of sacred sexuality and the divine feminine was not without its consequences. Surnames in Irish like Mac An Aspeg (Mock-un-Osspig)/(AngSax translit - Mc Anespy, literally means "son of the bishop". And Mac An t'Saggart (phon/pron Mock Un Toggirt - AngSax translit - McEntaggart literally means "son of the priest". Cleary inferring clerical matrimonialism early on. Anyone with such names might qualify for an unanticipated windfall.

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casualMBA | May 07, 2012, 11:36 PM EDT

By way of clarification, OPPOSITION to women priests does NOT imply a "misogynist" policy...all of which, is not germane to the Archbishop's call for independent inquiry.

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casualMBA | May 07, 2012, 11:23 PM EDT

BytheBay, Are you drunk? An end to celibacy is one thing; women priests are another. And, No, women as priests is NOT a concept of APOSTOLIC CONTINUITY, OR proof (or even intimation) of "misogynist" policy.

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Collette2 | May 07, 2012, 09:06 PM EDT

Your exacly right Ephraim. An international investigation is the only way to deal with this, beginning at the top. Have the United Nations et al take it on, we've sat back and watched the others brought to account, why the reluctance to deal with the Catholic church.

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Bythebay | May 07, 2012, 03:09 PM EDT

Kudos to Father Ignatius O'Donnell and the other Irish priests in the Association of Catholic Priests at the Conference on the Future of the Catholic Church in Ireland today in Dublin. Calls were made for an end to clergy celibacy as well as for women priests. Well done, long past time to take control of the church. Out with Martin, Brady et al.

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EphraimKibbey | May 07, 2012, 01:40 PM EDT

@Messiah - you bring up a good point. This problem is not just a Smyth/Brady problem. If there is going to be an INTERNATIONAL investigation, it should be empowered to look into pedophilia worldwide and the Roman Catholic Church should be required to provide ALL their records of accusations against their personel. The only way this evil that infests the church is ever going to go away is for them to make full disclosure and surrender ALL the criminals to the world court for trial. Once the nest of evil has been cleaned out, pedophiles will know that they are no longer going to be able to find a safe haven in the ranks of the priesthood and will stop joining. I just learned yesterday that celibacy and the ban on marriage stems from the middle ages when the church became worried that priests and church officials were willing church property to their heirs. The church stopped this practice by saying that priests could not have any legitimate heirs because they had to take a vow of celibacy and were not allowed to marry. Greed and avarice seem to make the world go round even in the church! Once again we see that the solution to one problem has created numerous others.

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Messiah | May 07, 2012, 12:44 PM EDT

All Glory to Achbishop Martin, I have ecently eported after many an occasion beore a FurtheR Teasonious Cover up in the Archdiocese of Dublin. i made a Statement to a Monsignor who Lied to me about his knowledge of the Priest Harry Moore that abused me in 1983 as a minor. The Statement was made in Feb 1999. Late that year the Priest Reported himself in his Guilt and remorse as I his only ever Victim. Coincidence Looms. The priest ran a Statute of Limitations challenge on Delayed reporting for 5.5 years. After Conviction I sought Justice in Civil Court as priest given Lenient Sentence of non custodial. Then at Settlement evidence produced by church proving he was in Psychiatric Treatment in England for similar offence from 1982. Then after a Persecution that continues today the Murphy Report proved the Monsignor I made a Statement to knew the Priest and was his actual Supervisor since the early 90's. The Monsignor failed to provide that Decades of evidence to the Gardai in 1999 and any period After. The archbishop recognised at our meeting last March the Handwriting of the Monsignor involved. But he is not calling for an Investigation into that Corruption and obvious Cover up. They destroyed my Life Recovery plans and stripped me by crimes of my Right and the settlement which the archbishop seemingly Supports. The Solicitor involved in my Persecution is Colm O'Gorman ex Solicitor.

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CelticQueenUSA | May 07, 2012, 11:51 AM EDT

We already know what a crimminal Smyth was. He is dead and I think his crimes have been sufficiently substantiated. Let's get on with prosecuting the living, breathing crimminals that are due punishment TODAY for what they ARE DOING!!!

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ejclizzie | May 07, 2012, 10:30 AM EDT

Asking the Bishop to resign over the fact that he did not do enough in some people's estimation sounds a lot like Joe Paterno and the Penn State mess. He was not even given the dignity of being able to resign.

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Murph46 | May 07, 2012, 10:12 AM EDT

Puuleease move on!

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