Cardinal blind to widespread sense of betrayal

LAST Tuesday night I listened to Cardinal Brady’s Killarney lecture on ‘The Church in Contemporary Ireland’, including his passing reference to the scandals that have bedevilled it.

In response to a question I put to him in the question-and-answer session, I was saddened that he stood by his earlier rejection of calls for Bishop Magee to resign and his statement that he had every confidence in the bishop’s ability to put child protection procedures to rights in his diocese.

Afterwards many people came to me to voice their disappointment at what seemed to be a failure by our cardinal to recognise that many loyal Catholics feel utterly betrayed not just by Bishop Magee’s admitted failures but the cardinal’s unwillingness to accept that the bishop has lost the confidence of so many of his own priests and people.

The question asked again and again was when will our bishops listen to us?

Cardinal Brady commended the “quiet fidelity” of priests and religious for their courage in difficult times.

Thank God for priests like Matthew Ring, Joe McGuane, Michael Mernagh and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin for their honest fidelity in making it clear that enough is enough.

Whatever the cardinal’s intention, it is clear to me that his Killarney statement this week has not put a line under calls for Bishop Magee’s removal but has raised even greater questions about the judgment of those in positions of church leadership.

In church, in State, in banking and in all walks of life, those responsible for major acts of omission must be forced to accept accountability for the suffering they cause to innocent victims.

Alan Whelan

Beaufort

Co Kerry