Former Archbishop of Cloyne John Magee has been challenged to come forward and meet the victims of the clerical abuse scandal he is accused of covering up.
Outrage has greeted Magee’s statement to the Sunday Independent newspaper at the weekend when he confirmed he will not yet respond publicly to the Cloyne Report.
The Bishop denied fleeing to America when he was found at a parish house in Mitchelstown, Cork, provided for him by the Catholic Church.
Now victims of the priests under his control have demanded a public meeting with Dr Magee and a response to the criticism in the Cloyne Report of his time in office and his failure to deal with sexual abuse allegations against his priests.
One victim told the Irish Times: “I think all of us would like him to meet us publicly and apologize for the manner in which he handled our complaints.
“The Cloyne report was damning of him, and all he’s done is issued a statement of apology through a public relations company.
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READ MORE:
Bishop Magee refuses to answer questions about Cloyne Report
Diocese of Cloyne running out of cash in wake of sex abuse scandal
Cloyne parishioners invited to vent their anger at findings as Bishop Magee stays away
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“If he has any respect for us at all he should meet us, but I don’t expect him to do that because he has shown nothing but contempt for us.
“He’s a coward, and all he’s concerned with is looking after himself, but he has a duty, a duty to meet us.”
The Cloyne Report alleged that up to two thirds of all abuse allegations in the diocese were not reported to the civil authorities.
It also accused Bishop Magee of falsely telling health board executives that allegations of abuse had been forwarded to police.
Another victim, who co-operated with the Commission behind the Cloyne Report, demanded that Dr Magee face the anger of those he had betrayed.
“Bishop Magee should come forward now and hold a press conference and answer the criticisms,” she told the paper.
“The Archbishop of Cashel Dermot Clifford said it would be helpful if he was present to answer questions. At least Clifford showed us respect by holding a press conference.
“I see where Bishop Magee’s brother in Mitchelstown now has called for people to respect him but who has respect for us, has Magee shown any respect for us?
“We’re entitled to feel as angry as Our Lord was in the temple with the Pharisees.”
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.JuneAnnette | Aug 23, 2011, 01:40 PM EDT
hawkeye44 is right. . .Bishop Magee should be prosecuted! If he is not, then at the end of the day, it must be said, that the countless VICTIMS of Roman Catholic Clergy Abuse under his watch will have been tragically and inhumanely BETRAYED and ABUSED once more. If he is not, it will once more prove that the priests and bishops of Rome are above the law, justice will once more have been obstructed by the agents of the pope, and ROME can declare a victory over the “haters of their church”, not to be confused with Christ's Church. If he is not, it will prove conclusively as well that the so-called “princes of the church” hate the TRUTH, and it will be equally apparent in the eyes of the Christian community that they are unarguably the enemies of CHRIST, HIS CHURCH & HIS DOCTRINE!
hawkeye44 | Aug 22, 2011, 07:15 PM EDT
Bishop Magee should be prosecuted!!!!!!!!!
supersurvivor77 | Aug 22, 2011, 04:15 PM EDT
CATHOLICABUSESURVIVORSNI.COM---- boy kissing bishop comes out of his lare hoping media interest will dwain on his protection of child raping priests in his diocese under his protection. catholics must wake up to this false paedophile religion and its unbiblical leadership and teachings let alone what it covets and practices
JuneAnnette | Aug 22, 2011, 02:01 PM EDT
rainbowbrew . . nothing HOLY about the RCC . . perhaps these die-hard defenders of the indefensible might heed the words of one of their own***OPINION of Fr. Thomas Patrick Doyle: Unless the Catholic hierarchy examines its obsession with power it cannot reform itself / Date: Sat, Jul 16, 2011 / Source: Irish Times / Excerpt: Cardinal Seán Brady said that “grave errors of judgment were made and serious failures of leadership occurred”. Bishop John Magee admitted that the diocese “did not fully implement the procedures set out in church protocols”. What happened in Cloyne and in Ferns, Dublin, and the institutions cannot be dignified as “grave errors of judgment” or incomplete implementation of church protocols. The systemic sacrifice of the emotional, psychological and spiritual lives of innocent children for the sake of the image and power of the hierarchy was no error. The Vatican response has been the defence of the hierarchy and the scandalous lack of concern for the victims. There are the expected expressions of regret, sorrow and promise of prayers which serve only to confuse and even anger the victims and are a very thin cover for the consistent pattern of self-serving support and protection of the bishops.***Fr Thomas Patrick Doyle OP, a US Dominican priest with a doctorate in canon law, is a renowned and outspoken advocate for church abuse victims.
JuneAnnette | Aug 22, 2011, 01:59 PM EDT
rainbowbrew . . nothing HOLY about the RCC . . perhaps these die-hard defenders of the indefensible might heed the words of one of their own***OPINION of Thomas Patrick Doyle: Unless the Catholic hierarchy examines its obsession with power it cannot reform itself / Date: Sat, Jul 16, 2011 / Source: Irish Times / Excerpt: The clerical culture that cannot comprehend the depth of evil and destruction it has enabled has failed to internalise the reality that in this 21st century sacrificing the welfare of innocent children to maintain the image and power of an ecclesiastical aristocracy is a disgrace that will be the catalyst for an inevitable and profound change in the nature of the institutional church. The rapid disintegration of the absolute control of the Irish hierarchy over Irish society is the result not of the lack of faith of the Irish people, as some in ecclesiastical leadership would like to believe, but in the lack of fidelity of the leadership to the people whom they have sworn to serve. WORSE STILL WAS the use of pastoral care as a justification for protecting the accused priests at the expense of justice for the victims. The report saw the misuse of the pastoral concept as a “scheme whereby counselling was provided to the complainant in a manner which was hoped would not attract any legal liability to the diocese”.***Fr Thomas Patrick Doyle OP, a US Dominican priest with a doctorate in canon law, is a renowned and outspoken advocate for church abuse victims.
rainbowbrew | Aug 22, 2011, 01:40 PM EDT
Angel, Holiness is in the eye of the beholder, after the treatment I was given in the catholic church and all this hateful behavior by the priest, bishops, archbishops, and pope tell me again who has holiness? They are apparently not caring about the people and holiness should include some humility, and caring. the catholic church is a big cult that is out for as much money that it can grab. Ask them to send back some of the trillions they have taken to Rome from the Irish. they will of course say no that is "our" money or better yet that is god's money. HAHAHAHAHa
Trealach | Aug 22, 2011, 01:28 PM EDT
I also notice that not ONE quote is attributed to anyone - DERVAN if you MUST LIE at least make it look good!!
Ms.Gail | Aug 22, 2011, 12:54 PM EDT
The victims have every right to be angry and to ask for explanations. Sadly their questions may have no answer. Bishop Magee has no legal obligation to respond, whether this changes in the future is something else.Whether he is a moral coward for refusing to come forward is a point for consideration and discussion, as is whether the church leadership should propose he do so. What a miserable situation. My prayers and sympathy for those who suffer from this.
bunkerisland | Aug 22, 2011, 12:25 PM EDT
The leadership of the Catholic church appears old, unaccountable, senile and indecent. Meanwhile they live in luxury having seldom made their own meal, used a washing machine or learned how to make a bed while residing in some large structure that isolates them from the community. They live shallow lives, catered to by others looking condescendingly upon the rest of us. It is time to put them on a small island where they can experience real isolation and humility. Perhaps they will learn to pray.
AngelPrecious | Aug 22, 2011, 12:14 PM EDT
Hmmm, that is two days in a row that Professor Dervan has messed up. I served a Funeral Mass this morning and the Gospel was the Beatitudes. I see little of those values in many of the posters on Irish Central regarding our Holy, Catholic Church, or from the Irish government or in the articles written by Cathal Dervan.
Trealach | Aug 22, 2011, 11:35 AM EDT
Professor Dervan - IF you insist on bashing the church on a daily basis, at least get your FACTS STRAIGHT!! Cloyne is NOT an Arch Diocese and Bishop Magee is NOT an Arch Bishop. Based on the inaccuracy of your report, the rest can be treated with disdain and contempt!!