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In stunning editorial, Irish newspaper slams bishops over child sex-abuse scandal

By
DONAL THORNTON,
Irish Central.com

Published Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 8:26 AM
Updated Wednesday, December 2, 2009, 8:45 AM

 

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Harsh words from the Irish Times for the Catholic church in Ireland
Harsh words from the Irish Times for the Catholic church in Ireland

"The days of bending the knee in Ireland to kiss the ring of men who were, at best, indifferent or, at worst, compliant in covering up and perpetuating the abuse of children have passed."

In an extraordinary and harshly worded editorial, the Irish Times has slammed the Catholic church leaders in Ireland and the Papal Nuncio for their reluctance to accept responsibility for the sex abuse cases against children by priests.

The editorial begins with by lacerating the Catholic Hierarchy and the Papal Nuncio for their lack of cooperation with the commission that investigated the abuse.

"Does Willie Walsh (Bishop of Killaloe who has defended the bishops under fire) realise how much he has let down the Catholic laity? Has the papal nuncio any conception that the majesty of the Roman Catholic Church won’t cut it any more? The days of bending the knee in Ireland to kiss the ring of men who were, at best, indifferent or, at worst, compliant in covering up and perpetuating the abuse of children have passed. The last paragraph of the Murphy report into the clerical rape and sexual abuse of children in the Dublin archdiocese quotes one victim, Marie Murray, as saying: “within the institutional church there has been no change of heart, only a change of strategy."

The editorial has called for "new and detailed legislation, with an effective reporting regime and strict criminal enforcement."

It also emphasises the need for the hierarchy to reestablish an honest and trustful relationship with its followers and calls for "the ending of a culture of denial and cover ups."

The editorial claims that there is a "distressing air of deja vu" about the report and the Catholic Churches claims of reassuring Churchgoers "that structures were now in place to ensure the protection of their children and the prosecution of offenders."

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12 Comments

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Posted by abbaetienne on Jan 22, 2010, 07:04 PM EST
jacersisityourself....I did not say that compulsory celibacy is the cause, although, In some individuals compulsory celibacy certainly is a factor. I said there is something deeply unhealthy about the hierarchical Church and that "something" is bigger than compulsory celibacy. In any case, compulsory celibacy is built on a very dangerous foundation and eventually was forced on the Church for all the wrong reasons. In any case, to try and placate our selves we RC's have no right to try and pull the splinter out of other's eyes whilst ignoring the log in our own. Your worrying response re "Catholic-bashers" perhaps reveals more about your own fears.
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Posted by jacersisityourself on Dec 06, 2009, 03:54 PM EST
abbaetienne’s post mentions compulsory celibacy as being one of the possible reasons for the evil acts that have occurred. I beg to differ. As has always been my point, child abuse permeates in all of society whatever the beliefs. It permeates Jewish communities, as highlighted by Megan Finnegan’s article on IC (under Opinion blogs, Finnegans Awake – ‘Jewish community feels the pain of Catholic priest abuse’). It permeates Protestant communities as highlighted here >> www.reformation.com << and here >> http://www.ethicsdaily.com/news.php?viewStory=9149 << (interesting that this article comes up with the percentage of 4% of all priests in the USA being child abusers vis-a-vis Social Studies experts saying 2% of all humans being sexual deviants). The Jewish and Protestant clerics who abuse children are married, so the issue of celibacy is a non-runner in the debate. My point about child abuse tries to show that it is not limited to the Roman Catholic Church and that media such as the Irish Times should not be highlighting the evil acts of Irish priests’ in such a way as to muck all Catholic priests as child abusers in with them. Don’t forget, what the Irish Times is ignoring in its editorial calls denies belief in the Catholic Church by people (amongst many others) such as Mother Teresa, Francis of Assisi, Teresa of Avila, Bernadette of Lourdes, Lucia of Fatima and Thomas Aquinas (who would certainly give the madam editor of the Irish Times and her journalists a hell of a run-around if he was around today). There are modern-day people like these, and they will not allow Catholic-bashers like the Irish Times newsparer to smear the name of Christ in the way media people tend to over the horrible sins of a few of its members.
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Posted by Watereskhill on Dec 03, 2009, 12:13 AM EST
Whether the Irish Times has a history of being 'anti-Catholic' or no the unalterable truth these days in Ireland is that ghosts have returned to haunt it's untouchable Institutions, Convents and Parochial houses where innocents were molested and abused. Now left to speak for themselves while the road-show of Rome waffles platitudes and sends a Christmas Card to it's Bishops from The Vatican via The Papal Nuncio of verses best suited to another era of ornate power. I agree with the remark in this Editorial that the days of bending the knee are gone. Sitting at Sunday Mass is one thing. Leaving one's children in a Parish Hall is to court a grin long since suspect.
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Posted by abbaetienne on Dec 02, 2009, 11:10 PM EST
As a Catholic who loves the Church (the People of God) I believe there is something(s) deeply unhealthy about the hierarchical "church".....it's bigger, I believe, than compulsory celibacy, although it is fed by it. The fancy dress of prelates; the fancy titles (incl. gross titles eg "Most Holy Father", "Holy Father"....surely reserved for God alone)
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Posted by crowsnest on Dec 02, 2009, 05:07 PM EST
I think that when a link is highlighted in a column i.e. in this case reference to an Editorial in the Irish Times you should be able to click on IRISH TIMES and go direct to their Opinion piece. Otherwise why bother mentioning it? As for my opinion on the Catholic Church in Ireland? Frank McCourt said all that was to be said in Angela's Ashes.
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Posted by Seamus Mor on Dec 02, 2009, 11:38 AM EST
I agree with DoctorJ - WWJD? As for blaming the messenger, i.e. The Irish Times, I would venture an informed guess that its editorial language reflects the views of the vast majority of Ireland's Catholics on the issue of pedophilia among the clergy and its subsequent cover-up by the Catholic hierarchy. Untold further damage is being done to the faith of Irish Catholics and this is not being done by those who report the news. It's an own-goal by old-school bishops who now need to be appropriately dealt with by their superiors for their cowardly actions. Archbishop Martin would seem to be the only one who recognizes this and is trying to take the proper course.
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Posted by DoctorJ on Dec 02, 2009, 06:17 AM EST
Let's step outside of our own predilections and views about bishops and children. Let's just ask: Who would Jesus side with in this matter, the bishops and Church or the abused and dispossessed children? Who would Jesus ask St. Peter to allow into His Eternal Church, those powerful who covered up these abusive sins or those innocents who lay uncovered by those very sins?
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Posted by plasticpaddy on Dec 02, 2009, 02:55 AM EST
The Irish times has always been anti-Catholic. What a ridiculously inept statement. Come on, that is ridiculous and without any foundation whatsoever.
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Posted by kickstar on Dec 01, 2009, 03:39 PM EST
But ole Turnip head 'Cowen' will agree with the vicar of Rome, its uncanny really how this bozo always seems to be on the wrong side of public opinion
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Posted by kickstar on Dec 01, 2009, 03:34 PM EST
I agree 100% with the Irish Times.
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Posted by jacersisityourself on Dec 01, 2009, 02:33 PM EST
The Irish Times is so self-opinionated it thinks it has a right to condemn those it detests (The IT has always been anti-Catholic since its foundation). Where was its own sense of responsibility to the Mahon Tribunal when it deliberately destroyed evidence of allegations that it printed publicly when requested of it by the Tribunal? The paper rightfully got a smack in the face with court costs of €600,000 ($900,000) for doing so. Having got a bloody nose, the paper and its editor now think it can hurl at the Vatican. Gutter press stuff.
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Posted by McNamara31 on Dec 01, 2009, 10:25 AM EST
The Vatican official who knew the most,was updated weekly, set policy regarding the worldwide abuse of children by clergy, was Cardinal Ratzinger who headed the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith from 1981 thru 2004 when soon after he became Pope Benedict. In all ethical and moral fairness, how can the Bishops be asked to resign and Pope Benedict stay in place. The only way this church can heal is if those accountable resign for the greater good of the Catholic Church.
 


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