Cloyne child abuse scandal raises vital issues for church and State

THE clerical sexual abuse scandal in the diocese of Cloyne — and its mishandling by Bishop John Magee — now has implications for all dioceses in Ireland, health officials and government authorities, North and South.

The matter has moved beyond whether or not John Magee should resign as bishop of Cloyne. Cardinal Seán Brady claims Bishop Magee has “learnt painful lessons”.

Whether or not he has will be seen in his pastoral response to the victims of clerical abuse in his diocese.

Will he reach out to them as a loving pastor should? Will he treat them as Our Lord would?

There is no excuse for not implementing all the recommendations of the Ferns report of October 25, 2003. It is shocking and damnable that the

Government has sat on its hands for more than three years on crucial matters relating to child protection.

For example, had the new offence of “reckless endangerment” been introduced, Bishop Magee would be facing criminal charges for misleading the HSE, as would Barry Andrews for not reading an important document pertaining to child protection that had been sitting on his desk for some months.

The Cloyne scandal raises vital questions for both church and State. Are the civil and ecclesiastical authorities truly committed to protecting the young or are they engaging in self-serving, face-saving PR exercises motivated by hypocrisy and cynicism?

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin recently said: “We have to have a system whereby people are pushed to be accountable. Human nature needs that.”

This is true of both church and State.

Perhaps, when warrants are issued for the arrests of criminally negligent bishops and Government ministers and when they face the full rigours of the law, the anguish and devastation caused to all victims of child sexual abuse will begin to be taken seriously and understood by all in society.

Fr Patrick McCafferty

52 Lr Rathmines Road

Dublin 6