MICHAEL PURSER,
Sir, - How is it that the clerical child abuse scandals all seem to have occurred years, if not decades, ago?
Did the children not complain at the time? Did parents not react? Did the Garda not investigate? The press report?
Of course the Catholic Church hushed it up - but so did everyone else, not least the media; and it is well to remember that.
The Roman Catholic Church in Ireland may have moulded Irish society, but that is only half the story. Irish society also moulded the local form of the universal Church. Not surprising, really, when you consider where its members come from! A whole nation, not a single institution, is responsible for the cover-up culture.
Today we pride ourselves on our greater tolerance - but the media seem to be 90 per cent concerned with denunciation! Forty years ago tolerance was based on the view that "what the eye does not see, and the ear does not hear, the heart does not grieve over".
Was this better or worse? Who knows? But we do know which sells more newspapers. - Yours, etc.,
MICHAEL PURSER, Strand Road, Killiney, Co Dublin.
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Sir, - The young priest mentioned in Noreen O'Connor's letter of April 12th is one of a huge number of priests at ground level who are trying to carry on their excellent work in the shadow of the child abuse scandal. Unfortunately, he is also one of many who will never be recognised for promotion as he has dared challenge the methods used by his superiors.
The esteemed Father Jackie Robinson once said that fellow seminarians interested in furthering their prospects of promotion would be recognised as those not willing to offer an opinion on anything. They truly were Shakespeare's "lords and masters of their faces", living in the hope of some recognition via the Papal Nuncio. This has to be borne in mind when listening to the legal language used by senior members of the Hierarchy.
Some years ago a missionary priest was assigned to a Dublin diocese to stem the steady tide of those losing interest in the church. He remarked that he saw himself as the servant of the community - a remark the Sir Humphreys of the Hierarchy must have found distinctly novel. If we are to change the status quo, we must demand that priests alone choose the three names to be sent to Rome, and remove the influence of the Papal Nuncio entirely. That way we may stand to expect a rigorous Hierarchy in tune with the tenor of their flock in giving true leadership. Otherwise, the vista looks extremely bleak. - Yours, etc.,
DESMOND GRAHAM, Collins Avenue East, Donnycarney, Dublin 5.
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Sir, - While I am every bit as outraged as Mary Cogan Daly (April 11th) by the hideous depravities of 0.3 per cent of the clergy, and the flawed and cowardly response of some of their colleagues, may I suggest that, by giving up attendance at Sunday Mass, her reaction to the scandalous situation is somewhat illogical. Assuming that similar statistics apply to dentists, for example, does Ms Cogan Daly not continue to brush her teeth, and believe in the principles of oral hygiene? - Yours, etc.,
MARY McHUGH, Prussia Street, Dublin 7.
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Sir, - May I answer Mr Michael Nolan (April 13th)? His question: should we expect doctors, psychologists and social workers to open their files on child sex abuse to the Garda?
Yes, we should - if the abusers are fellow doctors, psychologists and social workers. Yours, etc.,
JOSEPH O'BRIEN, Hermitage Crescent, Lucan, Co Dublin.