Brady’s resignation won’t benefit victims

Would the resignation of Cardinal Brady be of any lasting benefit to the victims of abuse involved in this current church inquiry scandal or, indeed, any of those victims of clerical abuse everywhere?

Even if the cardinal were to tender his resignation, it would not be accepted. Equally, we have seen how the Vatican responds to Cardinals who do resign over their involvement in the cover up of clerical abuse. Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston found himself elevated to a senior role within the Roman Curia. The issue of full responsibility for the cover-up of abuse will never be fully addressed, nor healing ever allowed to take place until the true source is uncovered. We now need just a few of those in authority who played either an active or passive role in the Church’s cover-up to break ranks and disclose the true involvement of the Vatican in the masking of the truth.

All roads lead to Rome in how the local church authorities dealt with the scandals. The irony is that those who stay silent to protect the Church are doing it the greatest long-term damage.