The truth will out on un-investigated abuses

I am writing in reply to Andrew Fagan (March 18), one of the 69 salaried lay officials of the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, who seeks to reprimand and silence me for writing about the departure of Ian Elliott from the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church (NBSCCC).

He rebukes me for mentioning that there are still outstanding un-investigated abuses in Ireland. By what authority does he interfere with my liberty of speech as a citizen of this country? Is it that he seeks to control me? The matters I alluded to are outside the limits of the Archdiocese of Dublin and I am perfectly aware of my legal obligations in these matters. I take grave exception to this, as a Catholic priest whose Dominican vocation does not coincide with the parochial system in Dublin. Dominicans were not founded to work in parishes nor are they trained for that ministry. Dominicans specialise in full time preaching and teaching through intensive prayer and study. The main point of my letter was the obstruction of Mr Elliott’s work and the continuing effort to throw a smokescreen over the truth.

Revd Dr Thomas S. R. O Flynn OP