Church’s handling of abuse scandals is revolting

I WATCHED the Panorama programme (BBC1, October 1) on the Vatican’s ‘management’ of paedophile clergy with exasperation and disgust.

I know the number of priests who abuse is as low as 3% and that the majority of them are dedicated and genuine individuals who have given their lives to the service of God and society.

Attempting to put the issue in context, imagine this scenario. You are managing director of an international company whose core business is to provide counselling, guidance and spiritual services to the public. You are informed over a period of time about reports from clients in a number of countries that a few of your agents are molesting younger clients and it is having a bad effect on your company’s business. Naturally, you would immediately issue an order that these agents not be allowed to deal with the public and, in particular, that they be kept well away from vulnerable clients. As the problem was detected in a number of your agencies, you would then call for an immediate audit across the whole company.

In the case of the Vatican, this did not happen. Instead, denial, non-accountability, transfers and secrecy were the management tools most used.

Having monitored these issues and other related scandals over the last 15 years, I am revolted by the Catholic Church’s mishandling of these appalling scandals.

Jim Jackman

16 Park Drive Court

Castleknock

Dublin 15