Sir, – The Bishop of Limerick, Brendan Leahy, has said that "the church needs to recognise 'dark aspects' of its history" (Home News, August 16th). I beg to differ.
The “church” does not need to do so; the clergy, the hierarchy and the Vatican all need to recognise their culpability and complicity in widespread abuse, in covering up heinous crimes and protecting – and even promoting – criminals.
The laity has already recognised and knows only too well the “dark aspects” of which the bishop has spoken. The laity have been lied to by smug members of the hierarchy, if not by outright lies then by the “mental reservations” of such as Cardinal Desmond Connell, and the “sins of omission” of others.
The laity is the largest component of “the church”; I would ask Bishop Leahy to please not try to dilute the guilt of the hierarchy and some in the Vatican by mixing it with the innocence of the laity. – Yours, etc,
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JOHN McENEANEY,
Celbridge,
Co Kildare.