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Police vet all priests in Cloyne diocese in wake of report

CATHAL DERVAN,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Sunday, July 17, 2011, 10:47 AM

Updated Sunday, July 17, 2011, 10:47 AM

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John Magee

The current Archbishop of Cloyne, Dr Dermot Clifford, has confirmed that Irish police have now vetted every priest in his charge.

Archbishop Clifford revealed the drastic move in the wake of the shocking report into child sex abuse in the Cork diocese.

The bishop, who succeeded the disgraced Dr John Magee, has again apologized for the consistent failure of his Church to report child sex abuse allegations to police and the health service.

Dr Clifford has personally written to every parishioner in the Diocese of Cloyne after details of horrendous abuse and a staggering cover-up were revealed in the official report.

“I re-iterate my apology to the many who have suffered horrendous acts of abuse perpetrated by some priests of the Cloyne Diocese,” wrote the Archbishop.

“The sexual abuse of children, particularly when carried out by those in positions of trust and responsibility for the welfare of children, is always a criminal as well as a sinful act. It deserves our utter condemnation.”

Dr John Magee, the previous Bishop, is due home from America shortly where he has taken refuge from the controversy. Reports claim he is on a vacation with relatives.

Criticism of the former leader of the Catholic Church in Cloyne has centered on the widespread abuse in the diocese and the near wholesale failure to report allegations during Dr Magee’s watch.

In an effort to ease tensions in the area, current Archbishop Clifford has again apologized for the failure to make all claims known to the civil authorities.

He added: “I also apologize for the failure to alert the civil authorities and for the mistakes and omissions made over a number of years in the diocese.

“The people of Cloyne were entitled to expect that all such complaints would be handled according to the official church guidelines.”

Interestingly, Dr Clifford failed to mention Bishop Magee once in his letter to parishioners across the diocese.

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Intercessor | Jul 21, 2011, 11:48 AM EDT

I have the greatest respect for the former US Oklahoma Governor, Frank Keating. He was man enough to risk his reputation and walk away from the position of "Puppet of the Church!" He refused to be part of the Church's coverups of Pedophile Rapist Priests in America. He knew that vetting of anyone is only possible IF and ONLY IF the Roman Catholic Church allows private investigators to come in and look at ALL of the files, including the "Hidden, Secret Files," that every Archdiocese is commanded by the Vatican to maintain. Upon his resignation, he compared the Roman Catholic Church to the Cosa Nostra or Mafia. I guess that the Church learned something from the Borgia and the Meducci families, or ......... did the Borgia and Meducci families learn something from the Church??????????????????????????

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Portia777 | Jul 18, 2011, 09:44 AM EDT

Who says the vetting is 100% accurate. Vetting only proves the rapist has not been caught yet-where the abuser - rapist is guilty.

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McNamara31 | Jul 17, 2011, 08:32 PM EDT

When Former US Gov. Frank Keating resigned as chairman of the bishops' board investigating pederasty in the Catholic Church in 2003 he stated: "I have seen an underside that I never knew existed. I have not had my faith questioned, but I certainly have concluded that a number of serious officials in my faith have very clay feet. That is disappointing and educational, but it's a fact," "To act like La Cosa Nostra and hide and suppress, I think, is very unhealthy," he said. "Eventually it will all come out." And it has.

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themurphia | Jul 17, 2011, 06:09 PM EDT

The net should be widened to include the laity...you only have to scratch the suface to find these offenders even in the quality press apparently...what will/have the Gardai discover lurking in the computers of the Irish Times I wonder...?

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CER1940 | Jul 17, 2011, 03:29 PM EDT

Vetting the priests is past due...

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gordongoblin | Jul 17, 2011, 12:25 PM EDT

They'll need to vet all priests in all areas. And don't let them vet themselves. They've made it clear they can't be trusted to do it.

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Intercessor | Jul 17, 2011, 12:12 PM EDT

Hi, Colliegirl: In a perfect world, your posting would be true, but unfortunately recent reality has proven the "US Policy" regarding the way in which bishops, archbishops and Cardinals handle Pedophile Priests and report them to the legal authorities, NOT to be true. Case in point is Philadelphia, our "City of Brotherly Love." There Cardinal Rigali and his anointed bishop covered up for about a dozen priests, who had allegations against them, but still they were allowed to stay in the ministry. In Missouri, just recently, Cardinal Finn, did the same. Sincerely, I do hope that your Archdiocese is different, but time has proven that it makes little difference whether Priest Pedophiles are allowed to exist in the ministry in Ireland, the USA or anywhere else on the planet. The Hierarchy and Vatican will make another round of lame, worthless apologies and excuses, and as soon as the turmoil dies down, it will be business as usual.

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Intercessor | Jul 17, 2011, 12:05 PM EDT

Did the following statement strike anyone else as being somewhat ludicrous: "Dr Clifford has personally written to every parishioner in the Diocese of Cloyne , , ," I wonder if this means that he sent out what we call in the States, "a mass-mailing," to every member of the diocese, written by an expensive PR firm, and then had a machine sign his name to every letter, and later had a secretary stuff the envelopes. It's my educated guess that his anointed hands probably never touched one envelope! I hope that someone from the Diocese of Cloyne publishes this anointed announcement of ANOTHER apology.

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Colliegirl | Jul 17, 2011, 11:48 AM EDT

In my diocese a background check by the police is required and usually is paid for by the diocese for anyone who has any contact with children in any church related activity. This includes priests, all parish employees, religious education teachers and aides, volunteers, etc. Allegations against a priest are immediately passed on to civil authorities and the priest is suspended from his ministry until and unless the allegations are shown to be false. Sometimes innocent priests suffer this but they accept it's a necessary policy to protect children. I think this is now common policy in the US and I hope it becomes the policy in Ireland and is carried out religiously.

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CaptainCon | Jul 17, 2011, 11:03 AM EDT

Would this vetting procedure have occurred with the 18 priests mentioned in the Cloynes report BEFORE they were dispersed to other parishes or AFTER? Big difference. If the vetting procedure was carried out this year then 18 dodgy priests may have already been scattered to other parishes. This is the sort of question one has to ask of both the catholic church and the Gardai as both have been to know to release carefully worded statements in the past conveying action only to find that there was trickery involved later.

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