Brady vows to ponder victims’ views

CARDINAL Seán Brady has vowed to reflect on the views of child abuse victims, amid continuing calls for his resignation over allegations that he was involved in a cover-up of abuse by the notorious paedophile priest, Fr Brendan Smyth, 35 years ago.

Although Dr Brady made no direct reference to his own future as Primate of All-Ireland, he questioned whether “wounded healers” who had made mistakes in the past should have a part in shaping the future of the Irish Catholic Church.

In a homily delivered during a St Patrick’s Day Mass in Armagh, Dr Brady spoke of the personal shame he felt at his own past failings – a reference to his role in investigating abuse by Fr Smyth – and how the Church was facing “momentous times”.