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Home Page > News > Irish Catholics angered over Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s comments on Irish College in Rome

Irish Catholics angered over Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s comments on Irish College in Rome

Dolan’s report slammed as factually lacking and biased

KERRY O’SHEA,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Thursday, June 21, 2012, 8:16 AM

Updated Thursday, June 21, 2012, 8:16 AM

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Cardinal Timothy Dolan

Photo by Brigitte Stelzer / Splash News

Dolan responded to the Irish criticism on his report by saying that he stood by “the accuracy of the data we found.” He also criticized those who leaked the report and the response from the Irish prelates.

In a brief statement, Dolan said, “While obviously others do not consider themselves bound by the promised confidentiality — so necessary and understandable to assure a fair and honest gathering of information...I certainly do.” The Cardinal declined any further elaboration.

Since the leaking of Dolan’s report, the four Irish priests who were working at the Irish College in Rome have since vacated their positions. This led to a “national group of Irish priests to blast the Dolan report for relying on the comments of disgruntled students and for focusing on accusations of widespread homosexual activity despite a lack of evidence,” writes Gibson.

“If the accusations were not substantiated, why not just say so?” asked the Association of Catholic Priests. “Is this just incompetence or perhaps homophobia?”

The Irish priests said the Dolan report “has effectively destroyed the reputations of priests, who have given lifelong service to the Irish Catholic Church, without giving them a right of reply to the allegations made against them.”

“It is unacceptable that a report to the Pope, on a sensitive issue, should be conducted in such an incompetent fashion,” the priests group said. “No court of law would treat people in such a way. Is it too much to expect even minimal rights in law for priests in the Roman Catholic Church?”

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Seanmor | Mar 25, 2013, 07:38 AM EDT

Cardinal Dolan's criticism of seminaries in Ireland is probably justified, at least to some extent. Educators in the thoroughly madern, politically correct Emedald Isle have become very accepting of the deciline of the nation's morality in receny years - even contributing to it. The prelates of the Roman Church have the duty and responsibility to abide by the teachings of the Holy Bilbe, even though such teachings may NOT be accepatable to those of otherr life styles.

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Maureen Hawkins | Mar 19, 2013, 05:47 PM EDT

Just goes to show that Dolan & the hard-line conservative, misogynic, homophobic, pederast-protecting curia he represents is out of touch with the majority of Irish as well as Irish-American Catholics.

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seanomelb | Jun 23, 2012, 09:20 PM EDT

Eiriamach your post is spot on. Unfortunately the truth is not what some people require. They only wish for guidance to justify their ignorance or bigotry

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eiriamach | Jun 23, 2012, 05:49 PM EDT

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Sandusky Case in the US, in which the jury returned last night with verdicts of guilty on 45 counts of pedophilia-related charges: sexual abuse, child endangerment, etc. Sandusky's wife of many years, along with his children, will probably continue to think of him as heterosexual despite the fact that all victims who testified against him were young boys at the time of the sexual exploitation. Most pedophiles are heterosexual, and many are married with children. Although some target same-sex children, this fact gives NO reason to smear homosexuals as likely to prey on children. Homosexuals are far less likely to commit sexual violence than heterosexuals. Check out the studies.

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eiriamach | Jun 23, 2012, 03:43 PM EDT

Well, we tried, but Mairint has proven ineducable. It is often difficult to penetrate the solid rock wall of ideology that relies upon misinformation-- ultimately, lies and distortions that do harm by deepening homophobia and undermining efforts to remove pedophiles. "Pedophiles"-- those who abuse and attack CHILDREN. Homosexuals are not attracted to CHILDREN; pedophiles are attracted to children and exploit children. The ideologue counts nothing, no fact or statistics, as evidence against his or her view. "My mind is made up. Don't confuse me with the facts!" Hopeless.

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dingle999 | Jun 22, 2012, 11:19 PM EDT

"if you prefer to support truth rather than express your hatred of the Church." I get it open my mind and express my hatred towards homosexuals. BTW do you know anything about Maynooth College in the 1980s ?

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johnozed | Jun 22, 2012, 11:57 AM EDT

to mairint: why do so many pedophiles identify as being heterosexual? please explain oh wise one.

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eiriamach | Jun 22, 2012, 11:36 AM EDT

I strongly recommend John McNeill's online article (DignityUSA web site) about "Objective Disorder" in RCC's teaching on homosexuality. Writing about the Vatican's public barring of homosexuals from the priesthood, he argues, "It is a political document issued in self-defense by the human and sinful hierarchy of the institutional church. The hierarchy, rather than accept their responsibility for this [sex abuse] crisis, decided to scapegoat gay priests and seminarians. Starting with the fact that the vast majority of the victims were young boys, some high officials in Rome and many in the United States [eg., Card. Dolan's 2011 John Jay Report] declared that the majority of the perpetrators were homosexual priests. They assumed without evidence that every same-sex act implies homosexual orientation. In fact, most empirical research evidence points to the opposite conclusion. The majority of men involved in child abuse are heterosexual. The motivation for most child abusers is not sex but power. A more probable explanation for the abuse, according to the vast majority of psychologists is the high number of priests who were immature, insecure about their tendencies and full of doubt and guilt."

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jamieLM | Jun 22, 2012, 10:30 AM EDT

Agree with ciaradexy. The definition of a pedophile is "an adult with a sexual desire for children." This ABNORMAL condition is not based on the sexual preference of the adult. There are both heterosexual and homosexual pedophiles. @EphraimKibbey, good post.

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ciaradexy | Jun 22, 2012, 07:13 AM EDT

What idiots dont know the difference between homosexual and paedophile??

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EphraimKibbey | Jun 21, 2012, 11:51 PM EDT

@mairint - Why do people keep confusing homosexuality with pedophilia? @PiperMac52 - the problems all began for the RCC when bibles started being printed in the vernacular. People could read what Christ ACTUALLY preached.

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eiriamach | Jun 21, 2012, 11:51 PM EDT

There are homosexuals in the priesthood, always have been, and the majority of them, like the majority of heterosexuals, are celibate. You cannot blame the sexual abuse of minors (pedophilia) on homosexuals. The sexual abuse studies tell a different story. Cardinal Dolan's war against homosexuals--both in and outside the priesthood--is a red herring, a political strategy, a distraction from a problem he cannot fix.

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mairint | Jun 21, 2012, 10:50 PM EDT

If there is even a sniff of homosexuality going on in seminaries, or even the approval of it, it has to be stopped without delay. You folk who criticize this action must support the pederasty that got into the priesthood which lead to the abuse of minors. You cant have it both ways. To protect young people from sexual predators all organizations and institutions must put up parameters. Just look at the determined worming away at the Boy Scouts of America as homosexual activists continue to insist on their being allowed involvement with the boys. People are not stupid when they see through the not so 'Gay' campaign.

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Nicoletta | Jun 21, 2012, 10:25 PM EDT

Ich don't think so!

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jamthecat | Jun 21, 2012, 08:45 PM EDT

Why anyone cares what this criminal has to say is beyond me. He belongs in prison for helping pedophiles get away with their crimes, not "investigating" branches of the Catholic Church.

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