Brave men who speak out against cover-up

I COULD not help crying when I read the letter from George Longhurst (Irish Examiner, May 18) who bravely faced up to his American bishop in the pursuit of justice for a 10-year-old victim of clerical abuse.

What a joy to know that there are so many people like George Longhurst and Patrick Geaney (Irish Examiner letters, May 11) who are prepared, sometimes braving the opposition and even hatred of family and so-called friends, to challenge the powers that be, such as the Catholic church, many of whose members still cower like frightened chickens behind empty papal threats such as “eternal damnation if you don’t remain a Catholic” or “excommunication if you don’t obey” such evil documents as Crimen Sollicitationis.

Excommunication only means being thrown out of Rome - not out of heaven.

My tears were not only for the countless victims of church abuse, but also tears of joy that my decision, together with that of my aunt, some 15 years ago to reject Roman Catholicism has somehow been vindicated by the actions of George Longhurst.

The dreadful sexual and physical abuses inflicted on an aunt of mine at the Goldenbridge convent in Inchicore were compounded 17 years ago when she suffered further sexual depravities at the hands of a priest under the guise of “spiritual and physical healing.”

I notice that Rev Gerard Garret (Irish Examiner letters, May 18) considers Pope John XXIII, John Paul II and Benedicts XVI to be “patently good men.”

My answer to him is that “patently good men” would never put their papal seals and signatures to such an evil cover-up instruction document as Crimen Sollicitationis.

Joyce Sweetman

Glasnevin

Dublin 11