Cloyne vicar says 'conscience' prevented him from reporting abuse
Aug. 24, 2011
Dennis Coday
A day after retired Bishop John Magee broke his silence on the Cloyne Report, which found that as bishop of Cloyne he did not implement church guidelines on handling clergy sex abuse, his chief lieutenant has confessed that he should have resigned in 1996 because he could not in conscience uphold those church guidelines.
In an Aug. 24 letter to The Irish Catholic, Msgr Denis O'Callaghan, the Cloyne diocese's vicar general and delegate for child protection, wrote that he came to realize that his commitment to the pastoral care of priests conflicted with church guidelines to report clergy abuse to civil authorities.
Bridget Mary's Reflection
What a shock to the people of Ireland and to the world! Another example of the hierarchy protecting priests over vulnerable children who were raped and sodomized by Catholic priests in a global sex abuse scandal that goes all the way to the top in the Vatican.
No wonder Ireland went ballistic and sent the papal nuncio off with a reprimand to the Vatican.
Just what entitles the Vatican to violate civil law and NOT report crimes against children. Conscience?!Is this the behavior that represents Christ and a "pro-life" church that values children as precious and beloved. Of course, every accusation must be investigated and proven, and justice must be done for victims and priests but to cover it up is immoral and illegal.
Bridget Mary Meehan, ARCWP
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests
www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org
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