Cardinal’s intervention - Abuse files must be released

MANY parents who complained to Catholic Church authorities because priests were abusing their children were betrayed by the inadequate, cowardly and morally reprehensible response of the Church.

In what was the darkest episode in the Church’s long history in Ireland too many offenders were simply swept away to a new parish to continue their attacks on children. This was done with the criminal collusion of a hierarchy who imagined themselves above the law.

During the intervening years many of those parents must have asked themselves why they did not go to the gardaí with their complaints so other children might have been protected from the paedophiles offered shelter and protection by the Church.