Dooley silenced - A welcome clarification

YESTERDAY’S refutation of Mgr Maurice Dooley’s outrageous statement — he said Cardinal Seán Brady was not obliged to report claims of child abuse to gardaí when he was made aware of them in 1975 — by Archbishop Dermot Clifford of Cashel is very welcome.

The Archbishop said all concerns are reported fully and without delay to the State authorities. He also said that Mgr Dooley’s views do not represent the policy or the practice of the Catholic Church in Ireland today.

This is as it should be and is nonetheless welcome for all that. Mgr Dooley’s views represented all that is reprehensible about the self-regulation of the Church on these matters.

The archbishop’s statement however did not say whether Mgr Dooley was asked to take an oath of silence to protect himself or others involved in the disciplinary action.