The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland has been accused of failing to take action on a warning from a victim that vile paedophile Fr Brendan Smyth was abusing five other children.
Cardinal Sean Brady, now the most powerful clergyman in Ireland, was warned by Brendan Boland, a 14-year-old altar boy, that other children were being abused by Smyth.
The Irish Examiner reports that the explosive claims ‘once again raise question marks about Cardinal Seán Brady’s handling of sex abuse claims made to him about Smyth’.
The report also states that Cardinal Brady said three years ago that he would resign if he found himself in the situation where he was aware that any failings to act on his part allowed, or led to, the abuse of any child.
The information says that Boland handed Brady, now the Primate of All-Ireland, written names and addresses of three boys and two girls who were being abused or were at risk of being abused by Smyth in 1975 - 19 years before he was jailed in 1994.
It later emerged that four of the children were being abused while two continued to be abused after the 1975 inquiry.
One in Four victims support group leader Maeve Lewis told the Examiner: “The allegations cast a shadow on the credibility of Cardinal Brady as a leader of the new child protection policy.”
The new information also states that Cardinal Brady only made contact with one of the five children named, a young man from Cavan.
The paper says that he did not tell the boy’s parents, police, or the health authorities about the boy’s confirmation that he had been abused.
Cardinal Brady only sent a report to his bishop, who later barred Smyth from Confession and reduced his ability to complete public duties.
One victim told BBC’s This World programme that he was abused for another year after his name was handed to the Cardinal Brady by Brendan Boland, while the victim's sister was abused for seven more years and his four cousins were abused until 1988.
“Nobody came to our house. They should have came to our house and warned our family, or my parents and said, look this is what’s happening, this man is involved in this. We would strictly advise you to keep him away from the house,” said the victim.
“Brendan, poor Brendan, actually thought giving this information, he thought he was going to protect me and protect other people and thinking this was going to be the end of it. And by God, it is far from the end.”
Boland had made the revelations in a secret Church inquiry in 1975, where he described his own abuse at the hands of Smyth. The paper says that the boy’s father was made stay outside the inquiry while his son spoke to the then Fr Brady, a school teacher and bishop’s secretary, and two other priests.
Cardinal Brady has denied he should resign in the wake of this information.
His spokesman told the Examiner: “The cardinal wasn’t a bishop in 1975. He was a priest who was asked by his own bishop to record evidence in a process that was headed by more senior clergy.
“Fr Brady had no authority over Brendan Smyth and the inquiry he was asked to assist in was under the management of his bishop, not him.
“Even today, it is the ‘designated person’ who has responsibility for reporting to the authorities, not the person who first receives or notes the details of the allegation.”
15 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.DannyBoyG | May 03, 2012, 06:10 PM EDT
Excuses, excuses, excuses. I am waiting for the usual Church apologists to come on here and post some excuse for this. Perhaps their leader Bill Donohue will have some sorry angry statement to make. This is all so sad. Sad for victims, their families and all who really try to make it right for the Church. The apologists and sorry excuse makers...you can all burn in he**....
Bythebay | May 03, 2012, 05:48 PM EDT
pilib04, I realize you're in the US and don't know what goes on in Ireland. Smyth died. Too late now to do anything about him. Brady should be in jail.
Murph46 | May 03, 2012, 03:18 PM EDT
Well my name is Sean Brady,my past may be shady I did the very least,I reported the priest But the boys above me, they all must love me In spite of the sound ,they all kept me around!
rainbowbrew | May 03, 2012, 02:03 PM EDT
Actually he is a good example of what the RCC hierarchy wants in a priest, OBEY OBEY even if it hurts. he wanted to be a bishop and knew that if he bucked the system the system would buck him, so he lived by the system and now should needs to recognize he is a company man and not a representative of Christ. I would not listen to him, but it will be interesting to see how many people think he is OK by going to his masses. I sure hope no one shows up, he is washed up and needs to leave..
IrelandNorth | May 03, 2012, 06:58 AM EDT
Crimes aren't always sins. Sins (whether original, cardinal or venial) aren't always crimes, misdemeanours or offences. Canon law is not the same as civil or criminal law (though it may be closely akin to land law). The Holy See (or Vatican City), is a city state within a nation state (Italy) - as heir apparent of the [Unholy!] Roman Empire. It doesn't see itself as answerable to civil or temporal authorities, being answerable to God alone. Consequently, whether we like it or not, the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church (HRC&AC), sees itself as a theocratic state within whatever country/nation/state (or despotic regime?) it happens to be established in. So what's all the fuss about?
eiriamach | May 03, 2012, 06:41 AM EDT
Cardinal Brady's statement shows why the Irish government was right to require priests to report suspicions of abuse, even when their information comes from the confessional. Passing the buck to the higher-ups is how any organization quickly becomes corrupt. The Cardinal claims exemption from the law because he was not the "designated person," the one designated by the church hierarchy, but the law designates everyone who has information to come forward. He says, "Even today, it is the ‘designated person’ who has responsibility for reporting to the authorities, not the person who first receives or notes the details of the allegation.” He's still insisting that the Church, not the people's government, will decide how to handle criminal priests. The people should say a loud NO to that!
Collette2 | May 03, 2012, 02:23 AM EDT
What a mushy moosh. Imagine have that grimacing in your face. Only a mother would love it.
bunkerisland | May 02, 2012, 09:32 PM EDT
If he gave a dam he would have insured the pedophile was made public and followed up with the boy that informed him. Brady is a wimp who has some responsibility for the continued abuse. The church is collapsing with it's secrecy, harsh treatment of others who speak out, and reluctance to pony up to its responsibilities. Great architectural structures but rather hollow inside.
pilib04 | May 02, 2012, 05:51 PM EDT
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith should investigate Brady and Smyth, but what chances are of that happening. They are far too busy harrassing Irish Priests and American Sisters. They don't have time for Brady and Smyth. Isn;t there something the Gardai can do about Brady and Smyth?
citizen69 | May 02, 2012, 01:55 PM EDT
Morally corrupt, seemingly like most of the hierarchy of the church.
Ms.Gail | May 02, 2012, 12:51 PM EDT
IMHO it should be the responsibility of anyone suspecting a child is being abused should report it immedately to civil authorities, that should be the law NOT “Even today, it is the ‘designated person’ who has responsibility for reporting to the authorities, not the person who first receives or notes the details of the allegation.”
CelticQueenUSA | May 02, 2012, 11:34 AM EDT
Brady should go to prison for aiding and abetting!! He has a great deal to answer for and just the look on his face tells me (body language) that he is miserable! Resign and repent at leisure JERK!
Searlit | May 02, 2012, 11:25 AM EDT
After the anger at these pedophile priests subsides, all I can feel is compassion for the survivors of the abuse, as well as sadness that so many lives were devastated by people who shelter abusers, while protecting themselves from any blame.
dermotfastnet | May 02, 2012, 11:20 AM EDT
Disgraceful behaviour.
Murph46 | May 02, 2012, 09:50 AM EDT
What a surprise!!!!!!!