BRIAN LEONARD,
Sir, - When are people like Helena O'Leary (April 16th) going to get it? Can she remind us of any cases in which the ASTI, the NUJ, the AGSI or any other professional body systematically covered up instances of child abuse?
What is at issue here is that the Catholic Hierarchy has, for many years, vehemently criticised consenting adults who lived together out of wedlock, who participated in homosexual relations or, God help us, who used artificial contraception.
While they were doing this they were also protecting people whom they knew to be torturers and abusers of young children. - Yours, etc.,
BRIAN LEONARD, Pessac, France.
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Sir, Helena O'Leary (April 16th) is right to point out that much of the worst sexual abuse of children happens within the home, as the Naughton case horrifically demonstrates. However, to suggest that the country's outraged reaction to the cases of abuse by "celibate" priests is merely "scapegoating" is to miss the point.
The Catholic Church in Ireland, especially during the 1950s and 1960s when many of these cases occurred, claimed to give the lead, particularly and bizarrely, in matters of sexual morality.
The erring percentage of Catholic priests may well have no monopoly on sexual abuse, but they have a particularly vile betrayal of trust to their account.
It is the hypocrisy that adds such a stench to the lack of repentance. - Yours etc.,
ANTHONY O'BRIEN, Ailesbury Road, Dublin 4.
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Sir, - With such a wide divergence of views and comments on the crisis in the Catholic Church worldwide - but particularly in Ireland - many of the faithful might be tempted to turn and walk away from it all. But we should recall what Peter said when the infant Church faced its first major crisis: "Lord, who can we turn to? You have the message of eternal life."
The present mess needs to be confronted and sorted out. Those guilty of wrongdoing must face the consequences and the needs of the victims of abuse must be paramount, but we will rue the day we abandon our Catholic faith because of the sins of a few.
We should remember that priests did not suddenly become paedophiles; rather, a small - but significant - number of paedophiles managed to become priests. These sex offenders target every profession and are particularly attracted to situations where they have easy access to their victims - particularly children. It's no surprise that they found their way into the Church.
As they are exposed and expelled we should spare a thought for those magnificent men and women, honest priests and religious, who struggle on in the service of their communities, dedicated and selfless men and women of God. They deserve our support and prayers and by turning directly to Scripture all of us, religious and laity, will survive this crisis. - Yours, etc.,
JOHN F. MURRAY, Garrylucas, Kinsale, Co Cork.
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Sir, - When I was going to school in the 1920s to the nuns and the Christian Brothers, I was taught that the Catholic Church was guided by God.
Now it appears that the Church depends on, and is advised by, lawyers. Does this mean the Church no longer has confidence in God's guidance? - Yours, etc.,
EUGENE DOWNING, Lower Lockstown, Valleymount, Co Wicklow.