There were wise words from Mgr Charles Scicluna, of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), who deals with abuse cases, urging church leaders to put the protection of children above all else.
Omertà – a Mafia-style culture of silence – had prevailed in the Church on abuse; protecting the good name of the institution was the enemy of truth, he said. The CDF prefect, Cardinal William Levada, even acknowledged the role that the media played in exposing abuse.
Omertà – a Mafia-style culture of silence – had prevailed in the Church on abuse; protecting the good name of the institution was the enemy of truth, he said. The CDF prefect, Cardinal William Levada, even acknowledged the role that the media played in exposing abuse.
Now an historic case in Ireland is putting this recognition of the Church’s failings, and its need to do better, to the test.
A BBC documentary described the involvement of Cardinal Seán Brady in a cover-up of abuse back in the Seventies. It accused the then Fr Brady of failing to act when a teenage boy, abused by a notorious paedophile, told him about other victims during an internal church investigation.
Cardinal Brady says he was only the note-taker, and though he did not alert the police or the children’s parents, he reported what he heard to senior clergy.
Although Cardinal Brady has now made a public apology over the case, he has refused to stand down. His supporters say that he is not personally guilty of a crime, but that is not the issue for many in Ireland.
Cardinal Brady says he was only the note-taker, and though he did not alert the police or the children’s parents, he reported what he heard to senior clergy.
Although Cardinal Brady has now made a public apology over the case, he has refused to stand down. His supporters say that he is not personally guilty of a crime, but that is not the issue for many in Ireland.
The point is the upholding of a system of authority that allowed abuse to flourish. The once-devoutly Catholic country now appears to be locked in permanent combat with the Church, sickened by not only revelations of clerical child abuse but clerical cover-up.
Rome, meanwhile, despite its praise for media enquiry, denunciation of omertà and insistence on the need to put children first, appears to be in no mood to let Brady fall on his sword. The Vatican is not in the habit of caving in to public demands.
There is no doubt a fear that if one cardinal quits under pressure over abuse, there could be a domino effect. The media may even be encouraged to go on a scalp hunt.
Rome, meanwhile, despite its praise for media enquiry, denunciation of omertà and insistence on the need to put children first, appears to be in no mood to let Brady fall on his sword. The Vatican is not in the habit of caving in to public demands.
There is no doubt a fear that if one cardinal quits under pressure over abuse, there could be a domino effect. The media may even be encouraged to go on a scalp hunt.
Instead, Cardinal Brady is likely to get a coadjutor to help him run his Armagh Diocese, enabling him to fade away from the limelight.
That will do little to heal Ireland. During the abuse symposium in Rome in February, Baroness (Sheila) Hollins, who had participated in the recent apostolic visitation to Ireland, said that “recovery is a slow process and some people will never fully recover from such a profound abuse of power and trust”.
That will do little to heal Ireland. During the abuse symposium in Rome in February, Baroness (Sheila) Hollins, who had participated in the recent apostolic visitation to Ireland, said that “recovery is a slow process and some people will never fully recover from such a profound abuse of power and trust”.
Lady Hollins was talking about individuals but her words might well have been describing Catholic Ireland.
The country’s Association of Catholic Priests gathered with lay people to discuss the Church’s future.
The country’s Association of Catholic Priests gathered with lay people to discuss the Church’s future.
More and more of them are openly discussing clerical celibacy and the ordination of women.
Something has gone badly wrong in the relationship between the church hierarchy and Irish Catholics.
It is now but a few weeks to the Eucharistic Congress in Dublin.
It is now but a few weeks to the Eucharistic Congress in Dublin.
There is still time, just, for the Church to start repairing its damaged relationship with the Irish – if it uses the Congress to show that it is willing to listen, and with profound humility.