Ireland and The Catholic Church Brace for 2nd wave of public revulsion

by besty 10 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse

  • besty
    besty

    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/ireland/article6722491.ece

    New 'shock' report into Irish church sex abuse

    (AFP) – 10 hours ago

    DUBLIN — A shocking new report has identified hundreds of victims of child sex abuse by Irish Catholic priests, officials said Tuesday, two months after a landmark study found "endemic" mistreatment.

    A government-appointed commission of investigation headed by a judge has been probing allegations of abuse by priests in the archdiocese of Dublin -- the country's biggest -- since March 2006.

    Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has warned that the report -- presented to Justice Minister Dermot Ahern on Tuesday -- would "shock us all."

    It is the first time the state has investigated how the once-powerful Church in mainly Catholic Ireland has run its affairs.

    It probed whether the Church reported abuse allegations or attempted to "obstruct, prevent or interfere with the proper investigation" of complaints.

    A spokeswoman for the archdiocese said the Church authorities had identified between 400 and 450 people that allege they were abused by one of 152 Dublin priests since 1940.

    "I would like to stress that that is a very conservative estimate and is likely to rise," she told AFP.

    Ahern said he was anxious to make the findings public "as quickly as possible."

    He added: "Equally, I am concerned that nothing should be done which would harm the prospects of the perpetrators of these horrific acts of depravity against children being brought to the justice they deserve."

    Ahern is required to apply to the High Court for directions if he considers the report's publication might prejudice any criminal prosecution of clerics.

    He is to seek the advice of Attorney General Paul Gallagher.

    In May Ireland was rocked by a landmark report that concluded sexual, physical and emotional abuse was "endemic" in Church-run industrial and reformatory schools, orphanages and other childcare institutions dating back to the 1930s.

    Prime Minister Brian Cowen said it contained a "shattering litany of abuse of children in care in this country over many decades."

    He told parliament the report was the gravest in the history of the country and contained "such horrific stories that it is difficult to know where to begin in talking about it."

    Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved

  • purplesofa
    purplesofa

    I am wondering what would be more shocking that the stuff we have already heard about how the Catholic Church runs its affairs.

  • besty
    besty
    It probed whether the Church reported abuse allegations or attempted to "obstruct, prevent or interfere with the proper investigation" of complaints.

    report an allegation to the authorities anonymously from a public phonebooth after interviewing all the suspects, witnesses and alledged perpetrators - if possible get the victim and perp in a room together to discuss it in front of some random males.

    that should help the authorities.....

  • besty
    besty

    did nobody else find this story interesting?

  • chickpea
    chickpea

    i moderate on a forum for
    adult surviviors of childhood
    sexual abuse and one member
    from ireland has been advocating
    strenuously to have abuse issues
    brought to the fore...

    he has written powerful letters
    to MPs and investigative chairs,
    been in documentaries, letters to
    newspapers and television agencies....
    his righteous indignation blazes like
    white phosphorus

    there is much to be answered for....
    the cruelty and inhumane treatment
    heaped upon the children in the care
    of the irish catholic church is epic....
    priests and nuns alike are culpable for
    uncounted numbers of wounded lives....

  • megs
    megs

    I think my issue with the report is that they are unwilling to identify or prosecute the perpetrators. The vatican should be weeding these people out instead of covering them up, but that would go against their history, wouldn't it? It's sickening.

  • besty
    besty

    megs it seesm there is a good reason not to release the identity of some of the alledged perps:

    Ahern said he was anxious to make the findings public "as quickly as possible."

    He added: "Equally, I am concerned that nothing should be done which would harm the prospects of the perpetrators of these horrific acts of depravity against children being brought to the justice they deserve."

    Ahern is required to apply to the High Court for directions if he considers the report's publication might prejudice any criminal prosecution of clerics.

  • Lieu
    Lieu

    Weren't they actually killing kids in their care?

  • megs
    megs

    Besty, I had read that this report (which advocates are hoping will not be released until autumn) will name 15 pedophile priests, 11 who have already been convicted... I imagine there are many more than that, and I hope their day of reckoning comes soon! However, in the matter of Ahern, I think he's a bit mad myself, have you read about the blasphemy law he's put forward?

  • besty

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