By Lynne Kelleher and Stephen Rogers
Monday, January 17, 2011
A LETTER sent to Irish bishops in 1997 shows that the Vatican secretly blocked attempts to report paedophile priests to gardaí.
In the letter, the bishops are urged not to report clerical abuse as a criminal offence.
A documentary to be aired tonight reveals the contents of the letter and also claims that, on at least two occasions, the Vatican stepped in and stopped attempts by Irish bishops to defrock abuser priests.
Last month, details of one of those occasions was made public when a High Court order finally allowed the full publication of a previously censored chapter in the Murphy Report on the Dublin Archdiocese.
That revealed that when bishops made moves to dismiss paedophile priest Tony Walsh, the Vatican instead sought to send Walsh to serve 10 years in a monastery.
Tonight’s RTÉ programme, Unspeakable Crimes, shows Walsh went on to abuse another child after a Church court recommended that he was laicised because Rome insisted on a long, drawn- out appeal of his case.
In the programme the mother of that child, who didn’t wish to be named, points the finger directly at the Vatican for the abuse of her son.
The programme also reveals how one Irish archbishop, who can’t be named for legal reasons, did threaten to resign because of a case in the 1990s.
The DPP declined to prosecute the priest in question, but the Irish archbishop, through the Church tribunal, recommended that the priest be dismissed from the clerical state.
When the Vatican overturned the decision of the tribunal, the documentary reveals that it is believed the archbishop threatened to resign if the priest was to be reinstated.
Abuse survivor and spokesperson for the Voice of the Faithful organisation Bryan Maguire said the 1997 letter sent to the Irish bishops changes the way he feels about the clerical abuse issue.
He said: “It certainly puts a different complexion on the way in which the Irish bishops acted and points a finger right back to Rome.
“At root what we’ve got is not just abusive priests and bishops that cover up, but an entire system that has enabled and facilitated those bishops and priests.
“What we want is for the Church to take a mirror to itself and not to just push the problem down to a local problem,” he added.
This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Monday, January 17, 2011
Robert,
Regarding “Right of Place/Second Chance” freephone. It has been changed to a locall number
1890 200 709. Hope this is of help to you, or for others who may wish to access information, with this organisation.
aparently right of place has new board but guess what THE FREE NUMBER HAS BEEN STOPPED, ‘ER WELL DONE WHO EVER ALLOWED THIS, SO NO HELP THEN ?
WOW THIS IS A GREAT START TO THE NEW YEAR.
why do the government mention tax payers money when it comes to pay for the damage caused by the state and church, but not a word when it comes to their expenses, Has it something to do with having the pope as their god and the Vatican as their heaven? After all they have so much in common
The Vatican should be abolished. The Irish Constitution will not be changed if Fine Gael get a majority or even the greater number of seats in a new government. Enda Kenny is a Vatican lick arse and Bruton has already made speeches in Europe about the importance of Christianity (aka Rome). One set of parish pump catlick gombeen men is almost as bad as another.
canon law is rosponsable for so many crimes . it should be abolished. the fact that the pope hides behind these laws even now is proof enough.its another way of saying lets stick together no matter what happens. a man or women who abuses others is first of all a man or a women. thay should not be allowed to use other laws.
Game Over for the Vatican – The criminal conspiracy to cover-up and facilitate sexual violence against children was directed by the Vatican.
If the current and hopefully to be changed Constitution is the paramount source of law in Ireland – why do we allow the presence of others to operate with systems of their own making that support only their requirements.
Why do I not find this a relavation. Why did I reject the Church ? Why did a Christian Brother In Glin tell me,Seanie, if ever you doubt the Roman Catholic Church, Leave it. I Did.
Seanie, Damaged Goods.