Irish Bishop accused of major cover-up over child sex abuse priest

It maybe a distortion in your eyes Jacer,but you are no stranger in defending the indefensible.

@ mairint- great truthful comment! @ eiriamach: good attempt at analysis but sadly and badly mistaken on the truth of the Bishop’s statement; @ seanomelb: shame on you for your distorting interpretation of mairint’s post, yet again, as almost all of your comments on Catholic Church matters are on ICentral.

The NI Assembly are getting geared up for a further enquiry into alledged cases of clerical abuse in Northern Ireland. I have a feeling that what will come out of this will be as bad if not worse than what all other Enquiries to date have shone a light on. I think the State will also have a case to answer as well as the Churches though!!

mairint is condoning priests who abused children.

After reading the Irish Times story, I'd conclude that "his side of the story" is a denial but not a simple denial. The Irish Times reports that he said, "The claim by The Irish Times today that I had knowledge or suspicion that Priest A continued to abuse children subsequent to my learning of his conduct in October 1990, and that such abuse occurred in the parishes of Kiltormer and Creagh, Diocese of Clonfert, is incorrect." Priest A abused a total of at least 17 children in Clonfert Diocese, including Kiltormer and Creagh parishes and in Portumna. During a visit to the priest in prison, Bishop Kirby got the names of the 17. So, although it may be true that he was "not in receipt of any complaint," as he said, he certainly had reason to know by 1994 or later that the priest had abused others. If he did not bother to inquire WHERE the other incidents took place, then it may be technically true that he did not know that the priest had abused others "IN THE PARISHES OF KILTORMER OR CREAGH subsequent to October 1990." His denials are the worse lies for snaking their way around the simple truth.

Just be careful IC. You have been part of a campaign against another priest who was proved innocent of the accusations. Do you know how serious it is to spread falsehoods? To destroy an innocent person and deprive many people of their priest. You at Irish Central are clearly anti Catholic and pro everything left wing and away from Almighty God.

BTW - the Bishop has responded to the Irish Times allegations. Why hasn't ICentral published his side of the story yet?

No, canadianirish, it will never end; child-abusers have existed since time immemorial, mostly within our own families and neighbours. Unfortunately, we can't sue our families and trusted friends 'cos they don't have money. Idiots think the RCC has money and so they clamour for compensation.

Sigh...Does it ever end??

He had`nt a clue 20 years ago about how peadophiles operated.So he moved the prist on to set up new frienships with more children where he might possably cross the same imaginary line, His feet shouldn`t touch the ground until its that of an 8 x 6 foot cell.