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Leading Irish Catholic priest: Child sex-abuse scandal 'goes right to the top in Rome'

Fallout spreads in Ireland from Church scandal

By
PATRICK ROBERTS,
Irish Central.com

Published Sunday, November 29, 2009, 9:13 AM
Updated Monday, November 30, 2009, 8:43 AM

 

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A man walks past the Papal Cross in the Phoenix Park in Dublin
A man walks past the Papal Cross in the Phoenix Park in Dublin

One of Ireland's best-loved priests, Father Brian D'Arcy, has called for the resignation of clergy who knowingly covered up for child sex-abuse priests.

Five bishops who once served in the Dublin Archdiocese when the abuse was taking place and took no action have faced resignation calls over the Murphy Report, which found child sex-abuse rampant.

D'Arcy, a well-known media figure and commentator, said the findings of the Murphy Report were "absolutely sickening." And he said that when he served on the Council of Priests in Dublin during the 1990s, he never even "heard a hint" of accusations of abuse

"This is not just in the Diocese, this goes right to the top in Rome," he said.

"I must have read about a dozen reports from all over the world, from Boston right through to the Ryan Report, the Ferns report, the Dublin report and reports from Australia, and they seem just the same," he told the the "Eamonn Keane Show" on Newstalk Radio

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Posted by Liamkeyes on Jul 16, 2010, 05:14 PM EDT
I don't think much about it. I was'nt altogether surprised as I grew up in Ireland in the "Pre-Vatican Two" era and as Brendan Behan once said "I spoke "Church Latin" and still do as a matter of fact. I was wholly surprised by the scope of it. Somehow, I have a certain feeling that is hard to describe in that my Parents and Grandparents did'nt live to witness this debacle. However, there was many scandals in the Church down through the ages and after the storm had subsided, the Barque of Peter was seen in Peaceful Waters. This is Jesus' Church and he has said that the Gates of Hell will not prevail against it. He will ask each one of us again "Who do you say I am?
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Posted by jacersisityourself on Dec 05, 2009, 06:29 PM EST
I am very firm and consistent, not squirming, in posting my thoughts on IC. I do take an adversarial approach against what I see as Media Misrepresentation and postings of untrue and derogatory comments. As was said recently, the Media (and I add, their lackeys - that would include hate-filled anti-Catholic, un-Christian people) have to be careful that they do not become the ‘New Oppressors’. I will not shirk from anyone - including wiz, kickstar, media people or others - unjustifiably (note I said UN-justifiably) attacking the goodness of the Church that I’ve firmly and freely chosen after much soul-searching to practice my faith in Jesus through (I’ve been privileged to visit the tombs or relics of most of the original Apostles, said me prayers etc in front of the relics). I often criticise my Church as it is today and some of its priests and practices, yet I know its goodness and Truth better. Over some years, in private with friends I did say, and now unashamedly in public, do call for bishops named in the Murphy Report and others to resign their positions because they failed to protect the vulnerable, as Jesus protected a vulnerable Mary Magdalene. I don’t know all the facts about Pope Benedict’s role in these Irish events (and elsewhere for that matter) but on the face of what is so far presented, I’d even call for him to look at what he may have failed to do and consider abdication before his and our Christ. New leadership is needed, right now. If defending my chosen Church against unjustifiable attacks on its wholeness makes people sick, I am sorry... I pray speedy recovery through the love and forgiveness of Jesus.
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Posted by jacersisityourself on Dec 05, 2009, 06:19 PM EST
I have never once attempted to belittle the horrors delivered upon children nor have I ever defended abusers as my postings here and elsewhere on IrishCentral hopefully show. I have been a regular contributor to various debates on IC since last March. It is a pity that the new format on IC no longer allows any one of us IC readers to check back to our previous contributions and those of others’ because everybody including wiz would have been able to see what I posted on IC on any topic in the past. I repeat here what I’ve said previously (mostly under Fr. Tim’s and Megan Finnegan’s articles) - that the Catholic Church and its hierarchy and those of other Christian Churches, including all of the Orthodox Churches, must return to the simple practices of Christianity as they were in the first centuries after Christ. I pointed out then that the earliest Christians had celebrated ‘Mass’ in their own homes DAILY with no priest present or a Bible to hand to read from (‘cos it wasn’t written until some 80 years after Christ’s time on earth and certainly wasn’t mass-distributed in those early centuries, neither could most people read or write back then). In those times too, almost all family and media things were by word of mouth. To me personally that means the Bible is slightly secondary to Christian Tradition (word of mouth), though these are regarded equal in Catholicity today. (More...)
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Posted by jacersisityourself on Dec 05, 2009, 06:11 PM EST
I am humbly happy to accept wizardofoz’ apologies and appreciation that most priests are good. My main points in this debate have been to: 1) defend the majority of priests who are good and 2) attack media printing headlines worded in such ways as to daub ALL priests, of whatever rank of the Catholic Church, as evil abusers. In the way that media print headlines, I am not unaware of the use of words, fonts and editorialist practices. The way that many media make headlines is designed to make it eye-catching, shock-prompting, must-readable, and therefore a buyable, money-raking rag for the company/medium presenting these kinds of headlines. Gutter-press exercises. How many media moguls on our planet can you count on your 10 fingers/digits? How many popes of media does make up? It is these practices, going right to the top, that daubed good priests everywhere with the sins of the evil ones and which I fight against in this debate. (More...)
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Posted by jacersisityourself on Dec 05, 2009, 06:05 PM EST
Barneyjo will probably appreciate this. I’m back from a bit of Christmas shopping in today’s miserable wet Irish weather, sipping some soup. Fortunately, I kept a copy of my failed postings and now re-post them, hoping they get through the internet ether or past a ‘maybe-anti-jacers’ IC sub-editor. Yes, I agree barneyjo: St. Isadore, the Patron Saint of computer users and others, including schoolchildren, may have stepped in! But I’ll have a go and see if my slightly-edited re-postings get through with or without St. Isadore’s permission. (Believe this or not – before I post anything online in debates relating to religion, I say a wee prayer to the Holy Spirit of Wisdom. I have several times reviewed pre-typed up comments and cancelled posting them. Amazing how that’s happened not a few times; goes to show that I and potential readers of me thoughts are beholden to a careful Spirit. My previous postings, the ones that failed to get through, and hopefully now following, will get through. Like B’jo, I’m happy to let God be the Judge in His love (More... In chapters, feranbegawdsake forgive me!)
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Posted by jacersisityourself on Dec 05, 2009, 07:48 AM EST
I've posted a couple of replies to posts by others but they've not it made online. Probably like barneyjo's comment under another article, they've disappeared in the internet ether. Or blocked by some IC sub-editor posing as a commentor who knows my points are too strong in truth. Alas...
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Posted by barneyjo on Dec 04, 2009, 06:19 PM EST
Wizard, thanks for your follow-up post on this. I think where we differ on this point is I am content to let the Judgment of our Lord and Saviour to be the final verdict on paedophile priests, and others who have committed the same henious acts. My piddling viewpoint is going to count for very little in the History of the Universe.No, we will all stand in Judgment before God to account for our thoughts words and deeds - best not to presume what God's Judgements might be, even less put those judgements to the test.....just in case our humanity might get in the way.
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Posted by McNamara31 on Dec 03, 2009, 03:45 PM EST
The New York Times today states, that in the past few years the Catholic Church has payed out $660 million in Los Angelos, $85 million in Boston, $38 million in Bridgeport and the most recent settlement to be paid, $250 million by the Christian Brothers. And, this was a partial list. The most terrible sin was that inflicted on the children and their families, the second wave is the impact of that sin on all the good that had been established by true people of faith who built the churches schools, hospitals and missions around the globe. Now, as schools close, property is sold off to pay for the scandel what will be left to fill the void. In some ares in New York the only alternative to poor, crime ridden schools, were the Catholic schools. How will people feel when they sell off churches where people had been married, baptised their infants and buried there parents? The accountable should step down for the greater good of the remaining church.
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Posted by wizardofoz on Dec 03, 2009, 09:32 AM EST
Barney, >>> I rightly pointed out that our Lord and Saviour called upon us not to Judge others less we ourselves be judged.<<< And I reiterate, our ‘saviour’ in Matthew 18: 4-6 has already past ‘judgement’ on the abusers, in what you would claim to be his church, he pulls no punches about what should take place with such scum. NO were in the New Testament nowhere, will you find our Lord set out so succinctly and clearly what should happen to those who sin against children, his children and in his name. I don’t judge them, Christ does! And I condemn them in his name, so should you.
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Posted by wizardofoz on Dec 03, 2009, 09:09 AM EST
Barney, >>> I rightly pointed out that our Lord and Saviour called upon us not to Judge others less we ourselves be judged.<<< And I reiterate, our ‘saviour’ in Matthew 18: 4-6 has already past ‘judgement’ on the abusers, in what you would claim to be his church, he pulls no punches about what should take place with such scum. NO were in the New Testament nowhere, will you find our Lord set out so succinctly and clearly what should happen to those who sin against children, his children and in his name. I don’t judge them, Christ does! And I condemn them in his name, so should you.
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Posted by wizardofoz on Dec 03, 2009, 08:42 AM EST
Jacersisityourself, you wiggle and squirm all the while you dodge the real issue. I know there are a greater number of priests in the Irish church that are good and decent. If my writing has lead you to believe I am condemning these good Christians then it is my failure. And I apologise for such laxity. I am not condemning all priests. I am condemning the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church, from the head down. Your now pope, Benedict XVI, was from 1981 to 2004 head of the ‘Congregation of Doctrine of the Faith’ to make the claim this evil auld reprobate didn’t know what was going on in Ireland, America, Australia and other parts of the Catholic world is tantamount to claiming Heinrich Himmler, head of the Nazi SS, and chief architect of the ‘final solution’ had no idea what the death squads were up to. Cardinal Ratinger, held one of the most powerful positions in the Roman curia, as such he knew everything that could affect the standing of the church…EVERYTHING! No one would have dared hold back the truth of paedophiles and pederasts within the church, NO ONE! So, My attack is on the whole church starting with the head down, that’s how fish rot you know, from the head down. Cut off the rotten head and maybe you will save the body, though I doubt it. Your church stinks! And will continue to do so, but worry not, relief is not too far off. However, faith in the Roman Catholic church, is like the Germans having faith in Himmler’s SS, a useless exercise in futility, in the case of the Roman Catholic Church, it just took longer. Ever noticed how fast time goes by these days?
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Posted by kickstar on Dec 03, 2009, 12:51 AM EST
Does this sound like a church that would be sanctioned by Jesus or God himself...Remember "You will know them by their fruit"
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Posted by kickstar on Dec 03, 2009, 12:48 AM EST
A secret document which sets out a procedure for dealing with child sex abuse scandals within the Catholic Church Crimen Sollicitationis was enforced for 20 years by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger before he became the Pope. It instructs bishops on how to deal with allegations of child abuse against priests and has been seen by few outsiders. Critics say the document has been used to evade prosecution for sex crimes. Crimen Sollicitationis was written in 1962 in Latin and given to Catholic bishops worldwide who are ordered to keep it locked away in the church safe. It instructs them how to deal with priests who solicit sex from the confessional. It also deals with "any obscene external act ... with youths of either sex. It imposes an oath of secrecy on the child victim, the priest dealing with the allegation and any witnesses. Breaking that oath means excommunication from the Catholic Church.
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Posted by kickstar on Dec 03, 2009, 12:27 AM EST
This is a chance to overhaul this den of vipers this filthy cup of venom this Roman catholic church 1] Boot out all nuns priests bishops cardinals and nazi popes 2] Introduce new church leaders "Only Female need apply" as in teachers of all sorts Women are the least abusive 3] As men will never carry a baby they should shut their mouths about abortion.
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Posted by barneyjo on Dec 02, 2009, 08:10 PM EST
Wizardofoz. Lecturing anyone was not on my mind. Like I said in my earlier post I agree with the broad sentiments of your observations about the coverup of Clerical abuse within the Irish Catholic Church. In respect of my question about your Religious outlook, I rightly pointed out that our Lord and Saviour called upon us not to Judge others less we ourselves be judged. I am content to accept his word on that. If however you take a different view then so be it. I deeply regret it, but I acknowledge your absolute right to do so. Another gift from our Lord and Saviour
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Posted by jacersisityourself on Dec 02, 2009, 06:45 PM EST
For the record and wizardofoz’ edumacation, here’s what I have said under an article by Fr. Tim, where Fr. Tim called for all of his fellow-Irish priests to head for the airports and leave Ireland: “Those few (of abusing priests and of cover-up officials, including police officers) must face the civil and religious punishments they deserve for both civil and religious abuse crimes. I wouldn’t even let them go near an airport; I’d lock them up in a lonely cell for the rest of their lives to atone for the horrible wrongs they did to people who have to live the rest of their lives suffering alone in their minds from the abuses”. That would be my wish if I was a judge, which I'm not - I'm just an ordinary guy, such as you wouldn't notice passing by you in the street. I hope this shows that my defending has been geared towards highlighting good priests and geared against gutter-Press headlines alluding that ALL Roman Catholic priests are bad, as often their headlines portray, when the vast majority of priests in our communities are not. That is my right. I will continue to defend good priests and continue to call for ‘bad’ priests of any level to atone and be reconciled to the message of Jesus, the Son of God. There’s a lot of penance and forgiveness needed yet. I don’t have to ‘order’ satan to get behind me. Christ’s love and protection in the face of satan keeps me behind Him. wiz is partly right, doesn’t need a lecture from anyone. Certainly needs a prayer though. May I suggest that wiz prays an ‘Our Father’ after s/he has read this? I will, in the moments after I post this. That might make us together again, Deo Gratis.
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Posted by jacersisityourself on Dec 02, 2009, 06:38 PM EST
Wizardofoz asks why, really alleges that I defend ‘wicked scum’ and seemingly accuses me of being a ‘nefarious reprobate’ – an evil degenerate person. I invite wizard to read all my posts on this and other IC sites and find evidence of where I have ever defended ‘wicked scum’ or have ever portrayed my ‘anonymous-online-like-wizardofoz’- self as nefarious or a reprobate. wiz also seems to be fond of using Christ’s words “Get behind me Satan!”. I do hope and pray wiz is not alluding to the people s/he addresses in posts in saying these words; none of us human mortals can ever be the Lord of Evil and should not be addressed as such. I also hope and pray that wiz is not assuming s/he has the qualities of Jesus to actually command satan to ‘get behind’, as if s/he could command the supremely powerful evil spirit. (more...)
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Posted by wizardofoz on Dec 02, 2009, 10:10 AM EST
I need no lecture from the likes of you, barney, I know the teaching of Christ and the sacrifice of the lamb. I would remind an auld hypocrite like you of the warning handed down most succinctly and with precise brevity to all wicket scum, and their defenders like you. Matthew 18: 4 through 6 I quote verbatim (4)“Therefore, whoever will humble himself like this young child is the one that is the greatest in the kingdom of the heavens; (5) and whoever receives one such young child on the basis of my name receives me [also]. (6) But whoever stumbles one of these ones who put faith in me, it is more beneficial for him to have hung around his neck a millstone such as is turned by an ass and to be cast in the depths of the sea.” End quote. Paedophiles and pederasts included! Our lord already judges the filth you defend, I need no permission from the likes of you to condemn them, or you! Get behind me Satan!
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Posted by barneyjo on Dec 02, 2009, 08:23 AM EST
Wizardofoz. Are you Religious at all? If so then you may have forgotten Christs teaching in respect of the Judgment of others. Dont Judge unless you are prepared to accept judgment also. Your post looks and feels like a purile rant and nothing more. I agree with the essence of your message in terms of what should happen. If you are not in any way Religious, I apologise for my intervention and would say to you to rant on as you feel. Dunno who might be disposed to listen to you though.
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Posted by wizardofoz on Dec 02, 2009, 06:44 AM EST
Jacersisityourself, why are you so defensive of wicked scum? Or, as it would appear, are you also a nefarious reprobate, so far unidentified? The Irish branch of the Roman Catholic Church was, for decades, maybe still is, rotten through and through. It even exported this filth to America, Canada and Australia. And the scarlet robed bachelors of the Vatican knew this and just like you, they tried to cover it up! The cat is out of the bag. The Irish Roman Catholic Church should be stripped of all their ill-gotten gains and the victims compensated from the proceeds. Not ONE PENNY of taxpayer’s money should be used to allow such wanton criminals to escape monetary penalty. And those Bishops and the perpetrators brought before the civil courts for judgement and sentencing. Your attempts at cover-up are pathetic and contemptible. I can detect your evil fraudulent scheme in every word you write. Get behind me Satan!!!
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Posted by McNamara31 on Dec 01, 2009, 10:27 AM EST
Correction(In all ethical and moral fairness,)
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Posted by McNamara31 on Dec 01, 2009, 10:20 AM EST
"This is not just in the Diocese, this goes right to the top in Rome,"......... 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. I 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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Posted by adfloatj23 on Nov 30, 2009, 01:31 AM EST
I think that all whom are involved in this should be handed over to the police, But not the Irish police they are just as guilty as the perps And as for the pope`s aledged abhorrence to these crimes!!!!!! he is as guilty as the perps themselves, Always as the plumber says Shit flows downhill.
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Posted by jacersisityourself on Nov 29, 2009, 06:28 PM EST
Patrick Roberts and the IC editorial team might want to get their facts right first before posting a headline like this. Fr. D'Arcy is not a leading Irish Catholic Priest. He's a priest with newspaper column and he's good at what he says. There are many more priests carrying out their vocational duties in Irish parishes who are better leaders than Fr. D'Arcy.
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Posted by jacersisityourself on Nov 29, 2009, 05:26 PM EST
Fr. D’arcy is rightfully regarded as one of Ireland’s best-loved priests, mainly because he has a public platform through his Christian contributions to a national Irish newspaper. But he’s only one of the best-loved priests; there are others who don’t write for newspaper columns. There are thousands of others going about their vocational duties in our local communities. In this furore, it is easy to condemn, perhaps not even easy to forgive. There are thousands of priests and bishops who do not deserve our anger or need forgiveness. They need our support.
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Posted by irishwriter on Nov 29, 2009, 04:58 PM EST
The people that covered it up are even more heinous than the ones who abused the kids in my opinion. Not condoning the abuse, but usually it is done with the hands of someone warped themselves---perhaps they got abused at one point. Not that they can't help themselves, but you know what I mean. But the people that covered it up---my God! That really turns my stomach!!!!
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Posted by KathyCallahan on Nov 29, 2009, 02:59 PM EST
Finally, we have momentum in the right direction...
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Posted by irishathens on Nov 29, 2009, 12:02 PM EST
I wish everyone would stop using Rome to define the HQ of the Catholic Church..Rome is solely the Capital of Italy. The Vatican a free state with it's own diplomatic corps..money (Vatican Euro) is the HQ of the Catholic Church.
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Posted by irishathens on Nov 29, 2009, 11:53 AM EST
Simple...All invovled, including those who knew what was happening and did nothing, should be handed over to the Irish Justice authorities and tried by a jury of their peers...Mind you there are so many of them Ireland is going to have to construct a jail to contain them all...What is sad is that "good" priests have now been painted with the same brush.
 


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