Where individual Archbishops of Dublin were concerned it found that Archbishop John Charles McQuaid - who held office from 1940 to 1972 - did not apply canon law where such allegations were concerned, though he was familiar with its requirements.
His dealings with Fr Edmondus in 1960 “were aimed at the avoidance of scandal and showed no concern for the welfare of children.”
Archbishop Dermot Ryan - who held office from 1972 to 1984 - “failed to properly investigate complaints” against any of the six priests dealt with by the Commission from his period in office. “He also ignored the advice given by a psychiatrist in the case of another priest (Fr Henry Moore) that he had placed in a parish setting.” It found that Fr Moore was subsequently convicted of a serious assault on a young teenager while working as a parish curate.
Archbishop Ryan also seemed to have adopted “a deliberate policy” to ensure that knowledge of problems involving accused priests “was as restricted as possible.” This resulted “in a disastrous lack of co-ordination in responding to problems.”
Archbishop Kevin McNamara - who held office from 1984 to 1987 - restored to ministry a priest, Fr Bill Carney, despite his having pleaded guilty to charges of child sex abuse in 1983 and despite suspicions about him where “numerous” other children were concerned. Fr Carney has since been laicized.
Archbishop McNamara also appointed Fr Ivan Payne, also since laicized, as Vice-Officialis of the Marriage Tribunal in Dublin even though Archbishop Ryan had previously refused to do so.
It was Archbishop McNamara who was first to take out insurance against possible claims for child abuse. He did so in March 1987 and all Catholic dioceses on the island of Ireland followed suit, excepting one.
Cardinal Desmond Connell, who held office as Archbishop from 1988 to April 2004, “was slow to recognise the seriousness of the situation” on assuming office. He was “over-reliant” on the advice of other people. While “clearly appalled by the abuse” it took him some time “to realize that it could not be dealt with by keeping it secret and protecting priests from normal civil processes.”
He showed “little understanding of the overall plight of victims” some of whom found him “remote and aloof” and some “sympathetic and kind.” However, and “on the other hand he did take an active interest in their civil litigation against the Archdiocese and personally approved the defences which were filed by the Archdiocese.”
Liability for injury and damage “was never admitted.” His strategies in civil cases, “while legally acceptable, often added to the hurt and grief of complainants.”
Where auxiliary bishops of Dublin over the period were concerned, the commission found that those who “dealt particularly badly with complaints” were Bishop Dermot O’Mahony (retired) and Bishop James Kavanagh (deceased). It found Bishop Donal Murray (currently Bishop of Limerick ) “also dealt badly with a number of complaints.”
Bishop Murray’s failure to reinvestigate earlier suspicions against Fr Thomas Naughton “was inexcusable.”
It also said the recently retired Bishop of Ossory, Dr Laurence Forristal, “was the only bishop to unequivocally admit in evidence to the commision that he may not have handled matters satisfactorily.”
It found that “there was a disturbing failure to accept responsibility on the part of the bishops who gave evidence. There was a tendency to blame the Archbishop and/or the chancellor” of the archdiocese.
Cricket, cricket.
Also note in same journal excellent opinion piece today:
Church relationship with Irish society has itself been abusive - The Irish Times - Sat, Nov 28, 2009
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2009/1128/1224259619182.html?via=mr
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Hebrews 10:31)
That apostolic succession shore is working, ain’t it?
This is perhaps an off the wall question… but are there stories of equally horrendous widespread sexual abuse by clergy outside of the Irish/USA connection. Where I live at one time 70% of the RC clergy were FBI (Foreign Born Irish). It’s looking like the American problem was somehow culturally related to the Irish problem? Am I getting this picture wrong?
Sarah, what’s the point and purpose in putting all of this stuff on Stand Firm’s Site?
Utterly appalling, isn’t it, Sarah? Millstones & necks.
RE: “Sarah, what’s the point and purpose in putting all of this stuff on Stand Firm’s Site?”
The same point as our putting all the nasty TEC stuff on StandFirm’s site—only we do it much much much much more for TEC than any other denomination, because in the case of three of us at least we are in TEC.
On a related note, we have been very quick to post nasty things that have happened within conservative branches of Anglicanism, including the defrocking and church discipline of ministers within ACNA.
If something is wrong—really really wrong—within a branch of the Church we will most likely post it, and with regards to Rome, we have had quite a love-fest on StandFirm for Rome, in particular Pope Benedict’s recent actions, as well as their excellent work in social action and resistance to the pagan culture.
So no, we’re not going to shirk from posting stuff that is absolutely deadly to all of our witness as Christians either. And no right-thinking Roman Catholic of integrity would have us do otherwise.
The Truth Shall Set You Free.
I really believe that.
It’s looking like the American problem was somehow culturally related to the Irish problem? Am I getting this picture wrong? —Senior Priest
I’m not a sociologist, but I don’t think you are getting it wrong. And I think I am in good company with this FWIW opinion.
Senior Priest,
I have been wondering the same thing myself for some time. I’ve tried looking around on the web to see if someone has noted any correlations - but have found nothing as of yet.
Similar but different - some Irish seem to have jumped countries. Are there many cases of ministers/priests changing churches/denominations in order to escape past allegations?
I think Damian Thompson’s blog may explore that question in the coming days.
Prophet Michiah, If any one claims that the Apostolic Succession preserves against Bishops’ sinning they are lying. And this is true from the earliest days. Why else would Saint John Chrysostom write “the road to hell is paved with the skull of Bishops.” And any Catholic is well aware of the personal sins of various Popes.
Pater, OSB,
I know of at least three cases where priests changed jurisdictions, both were Continuers, to escape past allegations. One of these three styled himself an Archbishop and is currently a guest of the Penal System of the State of Arkansas for interfering with boys.
Sarah,
I thought I’d check what some of the Catholic (RC) news sites were, themselves saying about all this. The Wanderer had nothing at all, but the Catholic Register had two articles:http://www.catholicregister.org/content/view/3163/852/
http://www.catholicregister.org/content/view/3207/852/
I believe the above link is on reaction to the Ryan Report. I hope you are able to find something more recent.
Paula [or anybody who knows] . . . is the Catholic Register safe?
Or is it one of those liberal thingies like that Chittister person?
I want to post mostly the actual real orthodox RC commentary, not a bunch of liberals cackling and chattering in their own anti-Christian way [whether RC or Prot or no] . . .
???
Paula, can you please give a textual citation for that Chrysostom quote? Many thanks.
The Catholic Register is conservative. It’s the Catholic Reporter that’s liberal. It’s confusing. The Wanderer is generally extremely conservative.
who was the cardinal in Boston who, instead of being defrocked, was transferred to staff at the Vatican? Anything wrong w/ that picture?
Brize [16]—Chrysostom didn’t actually say that, though he thought most clergy go to hell. See:
who was the cardinal in Boston who, instead of being defrocked, was transferred to staff at the Vatican?
Maineac - in your backyard, Bernard Francis Cardinal Law of Boston. See:
Cardinal Law Given Post In Rome
“The appointment could be financially lucrative for Cardinal Law. His predecessor in the job, Cardinal Furno, received a 10,000 euro monthly stipend, or about $12,000” said the NYT.
Nellie, are you RC? So that you know the Register is okay?
I don’t want to be snookered by a liberal rag with an agenda to have gay and female clergy in Rome. I want honest critique from real RCs.
Suspiciously,
Sarah
A Church of Ireland priest is calling for an expulsion of the papal nuncio, Archbishop Leanzato. “Canon Stephen Neill, son of the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin the Most Rev John Neill, also called for there to be criminal investigations into all church and State officials named in the commission report.”
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1130/1224259709328.html
Because of a discussion at MCJ, I decided to check to be sure of the facts and allegations and tried to correct them but could not post do so.
Here is an update (as of 2/15/10) and summary of charges and allegations against RC clergy:
FOUR Irish RC bishops (Walsh, Field, Murray and Moriarty) recently resigned for covering up child sexual abuse
ONE Canadian bishop (Lahey) is on trial for both using and selling child pornography,
ONE bishop (Ziemann) involved in financial and sexual scandal
Numerous RC priests and former priests,
ONE Byzantine (Dolan) priest,
ONE RC Monsignor (Dempsey),
ONE RC Dean (O’Kelly)
ONE music director
ONE RC school teacher
These have either been found with child pornography on their computers and/or with having done sexual acts with children
These crimes occurred in the UK, Mexico, Austria, Australia and the US in the last several years.
Cardinal Levada is the man who was promoted to Cardinal and placed in Pope Benedict’s former job after his handling (or as some believe, mis-handling) of the San Francisco and Oregon abuse cases. His new job also includes reviewing sexual abuse cases and overseeing the admission process for Anglicans into the RC under the new provisions.
This is all I had time or the stomach to document.
#23, “Ziemann” and “Levada” at least are not Irish names, I think, so unless you claim that all RC priests/bishops are major sinners, I’m not sure how your list applies to this thread. Obviously the Irish Church has some serious and long-standing problems.
Didn’t say they were ALL Irish, but that I could not post the correction at MCJ.
My comment is pertinent, given the magnitude of the problem, and because the Irish Bishops and others involved in sexual abuse inquiry are meeting in Rome as we type.
Katherine, I must say that that your comment does not display your usual pristine logic and fairness.
“unless you claim that all RC priests/bishops are major sinners…” is disappointing coming from you. !
Floridian, I am very wary of applying individual, or even numerous individual, sins to the whole body. Your comment could easily be misread as saying that Catholic priests/bishops are internationally and consistently sinners. Someone above raised the question of whether a heavily institutionalist and defensive mindset might have translated itself to the Americas with Irish immigrant Catholics, and that is an interesting question, but one that is not answered by pointing to men of German and Italian heritage, or the Byzantine rite priest. We might as well say, for instance, that because numerous ECUSA priests and bishops are sinners and some have protected sinners, they’re all bad, and this is not true. Or, we might point to some flagrant evangelical Protestant scandals in the U.S. and say that this behavior characterizes all evangelicals. Given that believing Roman Catholics, believing Anglicans, and believing evangelicals are on the same team in general, I think we need to be very careful.
“I am very wary of applying individual, or even numerous individual, sins to the whole body. Your comment could easily be misread as saying that Catholic priests/bishops are internationally and consistently sinners.”
You are accusing me of blacking all Irish and all Roman Catholic clergy when I did not do anything of the sort. In fact, I listed very specific numbers in all capitals.
“We might as well say, for instance, that because numerous ECUSA priests and bishops are sinners and some have protected sinners, they’re all bad, and this is not true.” Again, disappointing coming from you.
“Or, we might point to some flagrant evangelical Protestant scandals in the U.S. and say that this behavior characterizes all evangelicals.” Ditto.
“I think we need to be very careful.” I have been.
The opacity of the hierarchical bishop structure and lack of accountability and transparency of the liturgical church has been a problem. In the past Church officials, pastors and agencies (RC, UMC, TEC, etc) have not been answerable to the grass-roots people in the pews or removeable.
However, the congregational structure does not prevent sexual piccadeloes and child/adult sexual abuse in protestant churches - and families.
Lack of love for Christ and a false and malignant perverted love for self and the pursuit of one’s own perceived needs and desires, are the root causes of sin and the mis-use and harm of self and another.
It is horrible for a church to harbor and ordain those with so little love for Christ and children that this behavior is even desired, much less engaged and even worse, unconfessed. It is equally horrible for a father or mother to abandon and abuse their children and each other. The church and the home should be the safest places on earth for people of all ages, but this is not the case.
Floridian, I said, “Your comment can easily be misread…” I am glad to know that you did not mean to imply what it might have been read to imply. I think, in charity to other Christian traditions, and because we hope for charity with respect to our own, that we have to be careful and precise in what we say about these scandals. There is no question that many church bodies, including our own, have been hit with sexual scandals. Humans are all sinners.
No, in fact, my comment could NOT easily be mis-read.
Katherine, I don’t believe that Sarah, at least, is posting this in order to characterize Catholics or Catholic clergy, or even Catholic bishops, as evil per se. Nor do I believe that Floridian’s list is meant to do that.
I think the most important thing to be learned is that churches have to struggle against the organizational tendency to protect the organization at all costs.
I recently posted my memories of being involved in a situation in which the Episcopal bishop of Central NY, when confronted with an abuse allegation, behaved exactly like these Catholic bishops. He wanted it silenced and he was willing to ruin the life of a priest not willing to let it be silenced. He only confronted the issue after he was forced to do so. This was a case where there were multiple victims. There were at least two families in the parish that had left the RC parish up the road because of an abusing priest there in the 80’s, only to find that they had moved to a place where there had been a similar priest in the 70’s. I think I remember that one family with ties to both parishes wound up having had a family member abused in both places. (different family member.) The amazing thing about Skip’s actions in this case is that he had the example of Catholic bishops in this country having to declare bankruptcy because of lawsuits over these scandals, and his first thought was still, coverup.
I believe that this is chiefly a problem of organizations, not a problem of dogma. You will hear a lot more Catholic cases because there are a lot more Catholics.
It may also be true that in certain places there was a tradition of regarding Catholic priests as above ordinary folk, and that some people thought that was to everyone’s benefit. If they respect the priest they will go to church and try to fulfill their religious duties, and that is to the good of their souls, so we have to keep them from finding out how despicable this particular priest was; if they knew, they might stop going to church, they might lose their faith. This rationale which may have been sincere in some cases, was called upon for the institutional purpose of protecting the institution.
However it doesn’t require such a rational for an institution to engage in cover up. Just think of the shredders running non-stop at Enron!
The lesson here is that we should all resolve to face up to bad things we have done as soon as possible and to admit them to those we have injured and do what is possible to make up for them. The lesson for leaders in churches is to remember that they are primarily shepherds and not primarily administrators of a large institution.
I think this subject is addressed here for this reason, not to shame the Catholic Church in particular.
Susan Peterson
Susan, I wasn’t reacting to Sarah’s posting of the item, and I agree with your comments altogether. Perhaps I am over-sensitive to the numbers of comments I have seen over the years which say, “Just look at the list of sinners in that organization!” Having seen (at other sites; most of those folks can’t write here any more) people commenting, “What can you expect from Anglicans, when their church was founded so Henry could commit adultery?” I am very concerned that comments on the sinners in any particular church be carefully tailored to address those sinners and what is to be done about it.
The situation in the Irish Catholic Church is a tragedy and I pray that the Vatican meetings will address it constructively. The failures of any Christian church, anywhere, are of concern to all of us.