Madam, – I listened with astonishment and incredulity to Cardinal Seán Brady as on RTÉ’s 9pm News on January 13th. These emotions quickly gave way to deep anger at the arrogance over the mishandling of allegations of child sexual abuse in the diocese of Cloyne.
In my view Cardinal Brady has revealed moral cowardice and appalling judgment in standing with Bishop Magee of Cloyne, thus turning his back on still-suffering victims of clerical abuse. The cardinal’s rationale for not calling for Bishop Magee to resign was that the bishop had “learned a painful lesson”, the implication being that that was enough. Reality check needed.
Will the Hierarchy ever get it? It is not about the bishop’s pain. It’s not about saving face for a beleaguered Church. The cardinal doesn’t seem to see the inherent contradiction in stating that “the first question must always be the suffering of victims” and still insisting that there is no need for Bishop Magee to step down. At the time of writing no bishop has directly publicly called for his resignation.
With Bishop Magee stubbornly refusing to go and still in “learning” mode, the cardinal must lead a real healing process or resign himself. Jesus Christ, revolutionary, model of justice and truth, upon whose anti-establishment teachings the Catholic Church is founded, drove merchants and money-changers from the temple in fury at their conducting such business in His Father’s house. It doesn’t require a wild leap of imagination to imagine how Jesus might respond to a bishop who knew of allegations of clerical sexual abuse against children and did not follow the Church’s own guidelines in moving to protect them immediately. I doubt it would be a squirming and uneasy: “Your Grace, I understand you’ve learned a painful lesson so stay put”.
I stand with Fr Michael Murnagh, the courageous pilgrim who was an initial lonely voice from within the Church in calling for Bishop Magee’s resignation. I stand with the One in Four organisation in calling for Bishop Magee to stand down. I stand with the wonderful hard-working clergy who are pained and let down by a spineless Hierarchy’s inadequate and deeply offensive response to a shameful situation. Primarily, I stand with the survivors of child sexual abuse from whatever quarter.
Some victims have died by suicide, some exist in a half-life, numbed by drug and alcohol abuse, or simply unable to form healthy relationships. In my area, the Limerick/Mid-West Rape Crisis Centre has helped many broken, wounded people to move through their pain and rediscover their own strength and beauty. Perhaps the Killaloe Diocese could organise a Sunday church collection for the Clare branch, which is badly in need of decent premises.
“Be not afraid,” Jesus reassured his followers over and over. Use your voice, speak up. Bad things happen when good people stay silent. Write to your Bishop, write to your Cardinal, write to your Pope. Ask for justice. Ask for change. – Yours, etc,