Christian values in a church of sinners

I DON’T see how Jason FitzHarris (Letters, March 1) can argue with the Pope’s view that “a lack of respect for the human person” is at the heart of child abuse.

It simply is.

Contrary to Mr FitzHarris’s assertion, I have never heard anyone argue that a “lack of faith among worshippers led priests into temptation,” or that it is therefore “the worshippers’ fault that priests raped children.” There is no logic in this, so in response to his presumably rhetorical question, I would answer, no, the Pope does not concur with this argument.

Mr FitzHarris asserts that Christian values “allowed, tolerated and covered up the rape of children”. This is utter nonsense. The only people who live up to “Christian values” are already saints. The church has always been made up of sinners. And yes, some of them happen to be clergy. But this does not mean Christian values are therefore valueless. More than 95% of child abuse occurs at the hands of lay people, not clergy. The injustice in focusing exclusively on clerical child abuse is twofold.

First, it tarnishes all clergy with the sins of the few and, second, there is almost no coverage of the vast bulk of child abuse that actually occurs, ensuring those victims remain voiceless and helpless.

James McGrath

Birchgrove

Hollyford

Co Tipperary