Rite and Reason: Priests or religious wrongly accused of sex abuse are treated by the church as if they are guilty before they have a chance to prove their innocence, writes Fr Pádraig Mac hAol.
When the former nun Nora Wall appeared on our TV screens some years ago accused of rape there was no doubt in the minds of the majority of viewers that she was guilty. They were delighted to see such an evil person put away. She was found guilty on the word of a young woman. We know now that Nora Wall was innocent.
Is it time to question our certainty about accusations of sexual abuse against priests and religious? Why do we so readily accept that the accuser is right? I have no time for anyone who abuses children, be they clergy or otherwise. They need to feel the full rigour of the law.
But what of those dedicated priests and nuns who are falsely accused? State law says that you are innocent until proven guilty. But church practice sees the accused priest or religious as guilty until proven innocent. And even if proven innocent, the stain remains on one's character.
Have our church leaders any idea what it is like for a dedicated priest to get a phone call telling him that there is an allegation of sexual abuse against him and that he is to cease all ministry and leave the parish immediately?
Unlimited counselling is offered to the "victim" while the priest is left alone and unsupported. Where does he go? How does he occupy himself? What explanation is given to parishioners, family and friends?
Many good priests have been falsely accused and then abandoned by religious leaders. An accusation in today's Ireland is the equivalent of guilt. The accused has rights too. Surely it is a breach of one's constitutional rights to act in this way?
I accept that it took great courage for an abused person to make an allegation 40 years ago. He or she could pay a high price in the Ireland of that day and probably would not be believed. Today's atmosphere is totally different. An accusation is almost received with reverence. An entire industry has grown up around it involving psychologists, counsellors, therapists and lawyers.
The abused person needs all the help he/she can get. But we also have to accept that many innocent people are falsely accused. They are entitled to justice and support. We need to ask questions. What would motivate a person to make a false accusation and follow it all the way to court? Why would someone falsely accuse a priest or nun yet shy away from making a similar allegation against a family member?
Yet clergy and religious number only 4 per cent of abusers. All I am asking is that we take a fair and equitable look at the entire sexual abuse scene. Many accusations date back to alleged abuse 30 or 40 years ago. It was a time when a vulnerable young person might be moved to talk to a listening and caring priest, especially if one had experienced sexual abuse. There were few other people available for such a conversation at that time.
With all the talk today about clerical abuse it's easy for the abused person to transfer blame to the priest who listened in the past. This makes priests who have worked with many young people very vulnerable to false accusations. Money, greed, lack of balance in a person all enter the allegations scene.
The people who have been abused by priests or religious have One in Four to stand up for them. Colm O'Gorman does an excellent job as their representative. It is now time for our bishops and religious leaders to take a similar stand for the victims of false allegations.
If people have done wrong, let them be punished. But Christian justice demands that any priest or religious be seen as innocent until proven guilty. Priests and religious often run for cover when accused. They need to organise themselves so that when one of their number is falsely accused, they can offer emotional and legal support and, if necessary, sue the person making the false accusation.
Fr Pádraig Mac hAol is a priest in the west of Ireland