The staging of silent protests outside a number of cathedrals across the State yesterday by persons abused by clergy met with a mixed response.
The protesters, all members of Irish SOCA (Survivors of Child Abuse), handed out leaflets to Mass-goers urging them to think about where the money they contributed in the basket collection at Masses went before making their donation.
They were asked to consider whether they wanted their money paying for a luxury apartment for the recently released paedophile priest Father Ivan Payne, or on legal expenses for the convicted abuser Brother Ambrose, who was released at the weekend.
As Mass-goers left Dublin's Pro-Cathedral shortly after noon they were presented with the leaflets by up to 20 SOCA members. Most accepted the leaflet, put it in their pockets and continued on their way.
Among them was a middle-aged woman who, when asked what she thought about the protest and the issue it raised, said: "I don't like it".
Mr Dan Walsh from Camp, Tralee, who was visiting Dublin for the weekend, said the protesters raised an important issue. "Who looks after the money that is collected? There should be an independent person, an accountant or somebody, who has nothing to do with the church, looking after church funds," he said.
Another man who didn't want to be named said he felt the SOCA message was "a little blunt" but he said "I can see their point".
The priest who had just celebrated Mass, Father Pat O'Donoghue, said he respected people's right to protest. "I'm very much at one with victims but I don't necessarily see this particular protest as a way of moving things forward," he said.
He said church collections went to support active priests as well as those who were sick or retired. "Everybody who is a priest is looked after regardless of their circumstances. . .there are some people who have been convicted who are not priests any longer. Obviously they are not covered," he added.
He said basket contributions by parishioners had not fallen, despite the recent furore about abusive clerics. SOCA's spokesman Mr John Kelly warned victims handing out leaflets that their protest was to be peaceful.
Even if eggs were thrown at them, they were not to retaliate, he said. In the event there were no incidents, but gardaí maintained a discreet presence nearby.
"We are basically trying to make parishioners aware that the money they donated for good causes is being spent to stifle and stagnate a lawful inquiry into child abuse. Millions have been spent on legal fees to stifle the Laffoy inquiry," he claimed.
"We believe the public would be appalled if they found out this is where their donations are spent. We are saying to the public they must have a lay representative with financial expertise looking after the finances of their parishes. We are telling people to go to church, but to go and change it".
Mr Kelly said he was very encouraged by the response from Mass-goers. "The majority of people took the leaflet," he said.
"This type of protest was very successful in Boston. We believe the church only really cherish two things, their secrets and their money. We believe if the money was to dry up they would start listening to the people and we might have levels of democracy within the church," he added.
Galway survivors of clerical child abuse who took part in a peaceful protest outside Galway Cathedral said that they had received a negative reaction from many Mass-goers.
Mr P J Fleming of SOCA said he was not surprised by the negative attitude of many people. Mr Fleming was abused as a child in three institutions.
Mr Fleming said he did not blame people for their response. "If you haven't been there, it's hard to know what it was like,"he explained. "One woman asked me where I was from and I told her I had been in Letterfrack and lived in Galway. She refused to take the leaflet and told me to go back to Letterfrack."
He spent 14 years in institutional life from the age of two years, having been named in Tullamore Court as having an unfit guardian. He was sent to St Vincent's, Drogheda, Co Louth, and subsequently spent time at St Joseph's Industrial School in Salthill, Galway and Letterfrack Reformatory.
"I was abused in my time in all three institutions and I have no hesitation saying the nuns were the worst. I was 10 years old by the time I was sent to St Joseph's, but by then, the damage had been done," he said, speaking outside Galway Cathedral.
"I get counselling now and have a social worker, but all of that is paid for by the State. The church has paid for nothing. Yet the child abusers who are convicted through the courts have their legal fees paid by the church", he added.
Similar protests took place outside cathedrals in Cork, Limerick, and Armagh.