Our Open Letter to the Irish Bishops' Conference, March 2008

Intended to help ensure that 2008 will mark a turning point in the history of our Irish Catholic church, this letter, entitled 'Betrayal',  is the result of long reflection by members of our online group on the catastrophe of clerical sexual abuse, and, more especially, on many centuries of failure by church office holders to confront the problem.

Fr Tom Doyle O.P., J.C.D has described this letter as follows:

“The document ...‘Betrayal’, is the clearest, most complete and most comprehensive statement I have seen in 23 years of intense involvement in clergy sexual abuse by Catholic clerics in countries throughout the world.  I believe that the contents are certainly applicable in Ireland but in every other country on the globe.  Most certainly, this statement applies to the institutional Church on the level of the Vatican.”

The letter begins by quoting the Ferns Report:  "Bishops placed the interests of the church ahead of children".  It then asks twelve questions, beginning with:

"How could two successive bishops of an Irish diocese ever have thought that the interests of the church could be 'placed ahead of children'?"

Further questions follow - on how this catastrophe could have embraced Catholic dioceses right across the globe; how Catholic bishops could have failed to learn over seventeen centuries of the effects of clerical child sex abuse upon children; whether they are still in denial over this; why they should still cling to secrecy and unaccountability, despite the copious evidence that these too have played their part in the sufferings of thousands of children. 

It also insists that children will not be as safe as they should be in the church until clergy are required to be accountable to lay people in administrative matters.

The letter ends by asking how and when the process of healing will begin if survivors are not consulted, and by insisting that any papal visit to Ireland would be a disastrous failure if all of these questions are not addressed beforehand.

The letter includes the address of the episcopal secretary of the Irish Bishops' Conference.  If you support it, why not drop him a note explaining why?

Dissolution of Irish Priests' Conference Speaks of Dangerously Low Morale

The decision of the National Conference of Priests of Ireland (NCPI) to dissolve itself, taken at its annual conference in Athlone in September 2007, can only be seen as another significant milestone in the decline of the Irish Catholic church.

We can only express the hope that at least some Irish priests are now ready to participate in a movement aimed at achieving what the Irish church has lacked since 1965 - a true communion of Irish Catholic believers, allowing us to communicate honestly as adults about the deep crisis that is now clearly unfolding.  Our meeting with the NCPI executive in July  encouraged this hope, and we will be only too ready to co-operate in realising this goal.

Donegal Clerical Sex Abuser to get Euro 25,000 Reward?

Survivors of vicious sexual abuse by the disgraced Donegal priest Eugene Greene learned from the Irish News on Jan 12th, '08 that some of their fellow Donegal Catholics have collected a total of Euro 25,000, to be donated to Greene on his possible release from prison later this year.

Greene confessed to his crimes, but these deluded people apparently insist that he is innocent.

We cannot sufficiently emphasise our abhorrence at this flagrant denial of the obvious truth, knowing as we do the unnecessary further pain it will cause those whom Greene violated, and their families.

We urge all Catholics in Donegal to repudiate this shameful practice, and to show support for the truly innocent. 

Breaking the Silence, a just-announced impending publication on Greene's appalling career will hopefully enlighten those still in deepest denial.

"Hidden Crimes, Secret Pain" - VOTF's Response

In January 2007 the Northern Ireland Office asked for responses to this consultation document on the major issue of sexual violence.  It was not well publicised, so we got to hear of it very late. 

This brief submission - posted on May 11th, 2007 - calls upon the Northern Ireland executive to encourage the churches to participate in raising awareness of the issue, and to involve parents in the necessary protection of young people.

To enable victims to tell their stories in a supportive context that will allow healing, we also call for an inquiry into the handling of cases of clergy abuse by religious institutions in Northern Ireland.

Clericalism and Clerical Child Sexual Abuse

In March 2007 VOTF (Ireland) made this submission to the Irish state Commission of Investigation into clerical child sexual abuse in the Dublin Archdiocese. 

The submission explains why we believe clericalism is a key factor in the clerical child abuse disaster - because it endangers children, leads to the mishandling of the issue by church authorities, and prevents healing and reconciliation.

VOTF (Ulster) Reports to Rome on Derry Diocese

Seriously concerned about the impact of bishop unaccountability upon the diocese of Derry, the executive committee of VOTF Ulster sent this report to the Vatican Congregation for Bishops, in preparation for the 'Ad Limina' visit of all of Ireland's bishops to Rome (October 16th-30th 2006).

Posted here and to Rome in mid October 2006, none of the facts presented in this report has so far been challenged, although all require explanation.  We take this as confirmation of the factual accuracy of the report.  The 'trust and confidence' that Pope Benedict XVI called Irish bishops to restore in Ireland at the end of their Ad Limina visit cannot be rebuilt without an effort to repair past breaches of trust.

We will publish here the full text of any response that Bishop Hegarty cares to make to this VOTF report on his diocese.

VOTF™
Mission Statement

To provide a prayerful voice, attentive to the Spirit, through which the Faithful can actively participate in the governance and guidance of the Catholic Church.

Our Goals

2. To support priests of integrity

3.To shape structural change within the Catholic Church.

Gentle Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
source of all wisdom, love and light.  Revive our spirits at a time of doubt and despondency.  Help us to witness to the truths our Church and our priests have brought to us over many centuries.  Help us to show that your Gospel can meet all the challenges of the moment and bring peace and friendship to all people on this island - so that Ireland can become again a source of light and joy to the world.  Amen

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