MICHAEL O’REGAN

RELIGIOUS CONGREGATIONS are part of a review of how Catholic dioceses were dealing with clerical child sexual abuse, according to a bishops’ pastoral issued at the weekend.

The pastoral, Towards Healing and Renewal , was published to mark the first anniversary of the pastoral letter from Pope Benedict XVI to Irish Catholics on the issue.

The bishops’ pastoral said honesty about the response to past, present and future allegations of child sexual abuse by priests was essential to restoring trust and moving forward on the journey to healing and renewal.

It added that the bishops’ conference, the Conference of Religious of Ireland and the Irish Missionary Union had asked the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland to monitor, review and report on an annual basis on the compliance of each diocese and religious congregation in child safeguarding.

It said as part of a specific commitment by the bishops to provide transparency about the past, the board had also initiated a review of current and past practice of all 26 dioceses in Ireland. “This review will also be extended to each religious congregation.”

According to the pastoral, some survivors of abuse had spoken about the importance of having their stories properly heard and remembered for future generations.

“We pledge ourselves to continue to explore with survivors of abuse how this might best be achieved,” it added.

The pastoral pledged sufficient religious and laity would be trained in the safeguarding of children and that there would be ongoing co-operation with Garda vetting procedures.

It also announced a five-year funding commitment to provide an enhanced counselling service for victims, while abuse survivors dealing with issues of faith would have help available in Ireland and Britain.

The first Friday of each month would be dedicated to prayer and fasting in reparation for abuse and the failure to address it adequately.

Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise Dr Colm O’Reilly said in Longford yesterday that the Pope had warned it would not be easy to address the problem of abuse.

“No one knows this better than those who continue to live with the pain of abuse in their own childhood,” he added. “Only someone who knows that ache in the heart can fully appreciate the kind of struggle which survivors of abuse face day after day.”

Campaigner for abuse victims Andrew Madden said it was disappointing but by no means surprising that there was not a single reference in the pastoral to the role the bishops played in causing the sexual abuse of children by priests to be covered up.

Accusing the bishops of glossing over the issue, Mr Madden said he was one of the survivors who last year asked that any bishop who had played a part in the cover-up of abuse by priests resign his position.

Irish Times March 21st, 2011

 

13 Responses to “Religious congregations to be included in abuse review”

  1. pauline says:

    tHAY BALANCE THIER ACTES O WHAT COULD BE CALLED 50 50. A LOT OF BAD CAN BE WIPED OUT BY A APOLEGY. wELL IT DOESNT. ABUSE DOESNT HEAL BECAUSE IT OVER. tHERE IS A LIFETIME OF PAIN tHE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN CARING JOBS HAVE PROVED TO BE A VERY BAD SYSTEM. THIER FIRST THOUGHT IS PROTECTING THE CHURCH.THIER PLACE IN EDUCATION SHOULD BE FILLED BY BALANCED PEOPLE WHO DONT JUDGE AND FRIGHTEN EVERYBODY.rELIGOUS PEOPLE CAN TEACH THIER KIDS THAT THEMSELVES. OTHERWISE ABUSE WILL CONTINUE. IF THAY ARENT ANSWERABLE TO THE LAWS OF THE COUNTRY WELL THAY SHOULDNT BE IN THOSE JOBS.

  2. Raymond says:

    ….the pastoral, Towards Healing and Renewal , was published to mark the first anniversary of the pastoral letter from Pope Benedict XVI….

    REALLY ??? Would it not be more because the Report on the Magdalenes is due out in a couple of days !!!

    And I can’t help but notice that it was printed (Veritas) in 2011. That’s even BEFORE there was any excuse for a so-called anniversary.

    I know they don’t, but I need to say again “HAVE THESE PEOPLE NO SHAME AT ALL?”

  3. charlie brennan says:

    here we go again taking no blame

  4. Went to the meeting on Saturday,The Launch Of Survivors Voice Europe at Conway Hall London.It was brilliant Sue Cox and all the speaker’s spoke with great enthusiasm and honesty I feel this group of people are determined to achieve what they set out to do.Wishing them every success for the future.

  5. I wrote an essay on the words ‘apology’, ‘reconciliation’ and ‘victim’ showing the difference between the LEGAL meaning of the terms and the colloquial or vernacular meaning.

    Bear in mind that the Church of the Roman Empire is the root of European Legal Language, and that THEY KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN by their use of that language. This can be seen by examining their ACTIONS. State and Church alike.

    Apology = “a defense of one’s POSITION and Status”

    Re-conciliation = “Bringing the rebel back INTO the Family (the Church)”

    Victim = “A Consecrated Sacrifice.”

    All must understand what we are dealing with here.

    A system of Power that conditions compliance in all who fall within it’s remit.

    I want to make it clear that Restorative Justice demands that our wounds be seen for what they are, that those who caused them be imprisoned, that those who knowingly cover-ed up be imprisoned, that a honest and full History, with names of abusers, be written and made available, and that within those organisations involved, a total purge and where possible re-education of those who, by their silence, are complicit in cover up, in enabling criminal abusers to remain active for so long.

    The case against the Pope lodged by two German Lawyers cites three Crimes Against Humanity for the Pope is personally liable; (and for which the Church is collectively liable)

    1. The Cover-up

    2. His ‘advice’ on the use of condoms given to Africans.

    3. Baptism, and the teaching of the Doctrine of Original Sin – the colonisation of a defenceless childs mind and body, for the purposes of Power.

    Justice demands that Survivors witness be held in high esteem, that Survivors be nurtured as much as possible, be given every assistance in what remains of our lives to live as happily as possible, as comfortable as possible, and that Surviviors Witnessings are seen to be central to the development of a Societal shift in the way Children are related to, not least by Education, Social Services, Psychiatry, Psychology and the Justice System and that empathic parenting is nurtured in our Society such that future children will grow as healthy complete people in a nurturant Society.

    This is my personal aim. I will not rest in this work until I die, and I WILL see that the beginnings of this work of generations is solidly in place. I owe this to my children, to all the children. We all do. All adults ARE parents to the next generation. Whether they believe it or not, whether they like it or not.

  6. With brady as head of the church in ireland we will never know what he might be up to.I dont think that he will abolish canon law in order to keep priests free from guilt thay need it. if ireland had never given the idea of confessions then it wouldnt be so easy for them.but its not to late to change thier vows.or just go away.

  7. amere-brush-hand says:

    This is a public relations stunt by the Church.
    When is Brady going to resign?
    When are the other Bishops involved in covering up abuse going to resign?

    Why is the clerical abuse inquiry not being extended nationwide?
    Why are the Irish Government and the Church still treating the Magdalene Laundry survivors with contempt?

    Serious crimes were committed by the Church against these innocent women over decades with the collusion of sucessive Governments.Why such denial? When is the abuse going to stop?
    Keep up the good work Paddy!

  8. robert says:

    I BACK THOSE WORDS PADDY WELL SPOKEN AND AN EXAMPLE ON HOW TO SAY A LOT IN SUCH A FEW WORDS OF TRUTH.

    NOTICE NOT ONE OF THEM HAVE MENTIONED ON WHAT THEY COULD DO TO COMFORT SURVIVORS, THEY HAVE NOT BACKED SURVIVORS ON PROMISES BY THE GOVERNMENT.

    IF THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE NO FEAR IN FAITH, THEN WHY DO THEY NOT CONFRONT THE GOVERNMENT ON THEIR PROMISES TO SURVIVORS?
    PROMISES TO HEAR LISTEN UNDERSTAND SURVIVORS HAVE FALLEN LIKE ROTTEN LEAVES TO THE GROUND AND DRIED UP.

    I WOULD HATE TO BE A POPE BISHOP PRIEST NUN IF WHAT THEY PREACHED TO US ABOUT HELL IS TO BE TRUE.

  9. jack says:

    Once again Paddy what you say is true, ‘extra monies for counseling’, it only serves to keep on and on reminding ,as if we need reminding of the mental and sexual abuse we suffered in these institutions,many like myself are nearing our later days not years , so I would think other means of help for us would be more to the point . thank you again Paddy for your page . god bless you .

  10. After all this time the proof is in the pudding. thay have prooved again and again that the church is unfit for childcare.what can thay bring into future childcare. canon law and thier own vows to protect the church firs are enough to make any government weary.many of them should be in prison themselves including bishops archbishops and the pope.if all the rapists could just say sorry for thier crimes there would be loads of rooms in prisons. im sorry i ever put a penny in the basket but that wont give me back my pennies

  11. Angry says:

    Once more into the breach, here come the bishops, fish hats , fancy dress`s, propaganda, “news” grabbing headlines, etc, etc, the normal dross we have become accustomed to over the years, and as is the norm for them, totally unconcerned with the prominent facts, failing to seize upon those facts by consciousness, for detailed examination as to just WHY they are prepared to part with TEN MILLION, in an “”emotional”” response, which they hope, will lead to immediate purposeful action!!. Is it any coincidence that this latest scam by these bishops comes ON FOOT of the foot-washing comedy, and linking it up with Ratzo`s letter of a year ago is puke inducing. Public opinion in recent years aimed at these bishops on a GLOBAL SCALE, has told them that religion has in fact, sunk into the decrepitude of failure, and the Irish bishops in particular have entered their own abyss of total nothingness.

    We fail to see or witness ANY notion of law entering into this latest attempt by these bishops to secure a measure , ANY measure of regularity to what they presently propose OCCURRING AS A DIRECT RESULT OF COLLECTIVE GUILT ON THEIR PARTS TO CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN. IS IT NOT THEY WHO REQUIRE “”COUNSELLING””, PREFERABLY IN THE CONFINES OF SOME PRISON WHERE THEY CAN “”RENEW THEIR FAITH AND PURSUE A PATH OF RENEWAL AND HEALING””.???
    Unfortunately, cold HARD FACTS point in exactly the opposite direction. Like their “”TIME TO LISTEN”” scam of some years back, this latest proposal of theirs is a mere rehash of that same old PILE A`PANTS, and no doubt it will be THE PARISHIONERS providing this TEN MILLION, yes, the hard pressed parishioners once again being “chosen” to give the bishops “kudos” as to how they can illustrate the function of THEIR idea`s in the provision of anticipation and purpose. But as WE know, its a PURPOSE suited to serve best THE NEEDS OF THE bishops.!!

    Is this SQUANDERING of TEN MILLION an attempt by these bishops to “impress” the new incoming Government.?? Will ANYBODY in the Dail ASK WHERE THIS TEN MILLION IS COMING FROM. WILL THEY LAY A FURTHER QUESTION AS TO WHERE IS THE “”RESEARCH”” CARRIED OUT BY THESE bishops TO UNDERPIN OR EVEN COUNTENANCE THE EXPENDITURE OF TEN MILLION EURO`S ON “COUNSELLING AND HEALING””.??? JUST HOW MANY CHILDREN HAS THIS CATHOLIC CHURCH ABUSED IN IRELAND.?? WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS REQUIRING “””COUNSELLING””” AS OPPOSED TO THOSE WHOSE PRIMARY CONCERN IS TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.??? HAS ANY “”RESEARCH”” BEEN UNDERTAKEN BY THESE bishops TO THE RAMPANT AND EXTREME POVERTY SUFFERED BY SO MANY ABUSED.??? WHAT DO THEY PROPOSE TO DO ABOUT THAT.?? ARE THEY IN POSSESSION OF SOME SPECIAL MUMBO JUMBO WHICH WILL TURN A TIN OF BEANS INTO A JUICY STEAK.????

    Of one thing WE CAN BE CERTAIN and that is THE AMOUNT OF MONEY WHICH WILL BE MADE BY THOSE TASKED WITH DELIVERING THIS “”PATH TO HEALING””, the abused will walk away from ” counselling” sessions with MUMBO JUMBO ringing in their ears, while others will be RINGING IN THEIR PROFITS FROM THIS LUDICROUS AND FRUITLESS OBSCENE SCAM.
    As Diarmuid Martin has said, “””there is evil within this church”””, AND HERE WE HAVE ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF IT, ANOTHER SCAM, ANOTHER STUNT, AND ANOTHER WAY OF ATTEMPTING TO AVOID ACCOUNTABILITY.

  12. Seanie says:

    Paddy,
    I am sick and tired of the fiasco, I do not want to blame the pope, I do not know the man I was a child in 1948 as I entered the safe haven of the industrial system, I was one of the lucky children, I only suffered PTSD for the rest of my 76 years now and my heart is with the rest of my soulmates.The issue that irritates most of us is Groups who are rearending us all, forget how many names you can muster up on your site as many other sites are trying to establish,show the survivors the names, we are all as far as I can gather on board with the God Squad and you Paddy, lets move on and 14 million from the religious in Ireland yesterday should be added to the compensation and not a stautury fund.
    Seanie

  13. Paddy Doyle says:

    When are we going to see an end to these apologies – they have become clichés at this stage and like the washing of the feet debacle it serves no purpose other that to annoy people who have been abused at the hands of religious orders. The best thing the Pope and his ‘servants’ could do now would be to just go away, keep quiet and stop making a bad situation worse.