Cleric criticised for blocking child protection procedures
The commission strongly criticised Mgr O’Callaghan, who was also parish priest of Mallow, Co Cork, for his disapproval of the requirement to report such allegations to gardaí and the health authorities.
It concluded that he frustrated implementation of the Church’s child protection guidelines in Cloyne and was “primarily responsible” for the diocese’s limited and incomplete compliance with such policy.
The commission claimed the Vatican’s attitude to the Irish Church’s guidelines gave comfort and support to priests like Mgr O’Callaghan, who dissented from such official policy.
It said the Mallow-based cleric had “stymied” the implementation of the guidelines, despite the fact that he believed many of the allegations made by victims against priests of the diocese. It observed that he had also displayed “some inexplicable failures” to recognise child sexual abuse.
It said one of the “most unusual and unacceptable” aspects of the entire investigation was Mgr O’Callaghan’s decision to report the name of an alleged victim to gardaí but not the identity of the suspected abuser.
Mgr O’Callaghan also failed in his attempt in the same case to have a specific garda appointed to interview the suspect.
The commission noted that the monsignor had stated in a 2002 letter that the reporting of abuse should be left to the actual victims as reporting requirements had comprised his relationship with priests suspected of child sexual abuse.
In another letter in 2008, he claimed the hierarchy had “rolled over under pressure from the media” to hand over responsibility for the investigation of suspected paedophile priests to the civil authorities.
Ironically, it was Mgr O’Callaghan’s failure to report the cases of abuse to the health authorities which set off the sequence of events that ultimately led to the establishment of the commission.
He repeatedly stated that he preferred a “pastoral approach” to the issue which the commission said was insufficient.
The commission also found Mgr O’Callaghan had devised a scheme whereby people who made claims of abuse were offered counselling in a manner which it was hoped “would not attract any legal liability to the diocese”.
The commission said it was unsatisfactory that the monsignor had assumed a number of different roles in relation to child sexual abuse, which had made some complainants sceptical of him.
He belatedly admitted to the commission that the diocese should have reached an earlier settlement with victims rather than going down a legal route. Mgr O’Callaghan also expressed regret that he tended to show favour to accused priests rather than alleged victims.
It also found that restrictions imposed by Bishop John Magee on some priests were subsequently altered or modified by Mgr O’Callaghan
In a statement issued yesterday, Mgr O’Callaghan, who retired in 2008, said he accepted the commission’s findings and his own primary role in failing to implement the Church’s child protection protocols.
Mgr O’Callaghan said he did not wish to make excuses.
“I was asked to implement the Church procedures by my bishop and I should not have interpreted those procedures which I was bound to follow.”
The retired cleric said he was personally appalled by the abuse which had occurred. Mgr O’Callaghan also offered his sincere apology to anyone he had hurt as a result of his response to the complaints.
“I did try to respond to victims with kindness and I am deeply sorry that I failed so many of them.”
