An Archbishop speaks - Martin must name the ‘dark forces’

ARCHBISHOP Diarmuid Martin should name the “strong forces” in the Catholic Church who want the truth about child sexual abuse to remain hidden. He should say if they are Irish or international – or both.

He should also name the Irish dioceses where, as he claimed on Monday night in Dublin, child protection policies are not being observed as they should.

His quiet anger that he should still, despite all the trauma fine talk of recent years, have to say these things is understandable, but one thing the decades-long revelation of child abuse has taught us is that nothing other than the whole, unvarnished truth will ease any of the agonies woven through this terrible tapestry of betrayal.