N.B. If you know of any site missing from this list that could be of interest, please send us the details, using the 'Contact Us' page.

Adobe Reader - downloadable software for reading the digital version of many documents, including the Ferns Report and Our Children, Our Church.  This link will take you to the Adobe download site.

The Alliance Victim Support Group was set up in 1999 "to meet the needs of individuals who have been abused as children in Ireland's State-run residential institutions".  This site outlines the work of the organisation.

Annotated Bibliography of Clergy Sex Abuse.  A Comprehensive US bibliography on the phenomenon of abuse by clergy of their privileged relationship with those to whom they minister.

Bishop Accountability is the major Internet archive on the global crisis of clerical child sexual abuse and the church's response.  Holds much Irish data also, including the full text of the Ferns report of October 2005.

CARI 'Children at Risk in Ireland'.  "The CARI Foundation is a registered charity founded in 1989. Our primary aim is to provide a professional, child centred therapy and counselling service to children, families, and groups who have been affected by child sexual abuse."

The Catholic Communications Office This site is an indispensable source, with links to all Irish dioceses.  Holding as it does press releases on the child abuse and child protection issues over a long period, it is important both for what it tells us truthfully and for what it reveals about our church leaders' occasional tendency to 'spin' recent events in a manner that lacks complete candour.  Occasionally it is even seriously misleading - as in the account of the history of the Stewardship Trust Fund presented by the diocese of Dromore.   (See the 'History' section of this site for further information on this.)

Catholic Ireland - a useful magazine-type site with up-to-date articles, the mass readings of the day, etc.

Childline - the emergency help service for children in Northern Ireland.

The Child Protection Office  Set up by the Irish bishops' conference in 2001 to advise and educate the church on best practice in protecting children from abuse.  Gives details of publications and courses.

Columba Press, Dublin,publishes many useful books on the changing church.

The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse was set up by the Irish government in 1999 to inquire into child abuse in state-supported institutions.  This site explains the terms of reference of the commission and gives access to evidence given to it by victims of child abuse and e.g. religious orders who often ran these institutions.

CORI  The Conference of Religious of Ireland serves the leadership of religious orders in Ireland. It encourages and facilitates leaders, and their members, to fulfil the Gospel mission in an ever changing world.

Democracy Now - An international 'peace and justice' site that tackles difficult issues - e.g. the war in Iraq - helping to build an international human rights community.

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre has a helpline that accepts call from all over Ireland.

Faoiseamh Helpline was set up by CORI (Conference of Religious of Ireland) in February 1997 to listen to and, if required, arrange face-to-face counselling for victims of abuse by members of religious orders.

The Ferns Report - this link will give you the whole text.

'Hidden Crimes, Secret Pain' - The 2007 Northern Ireland consultation document on sexual violence, to which we sent our response in May 2007.  This was accompanied by a critique by Margaret Kennedy of MACSAS, who is also one of our members.  (See next item.)

'Hidden Crimes, Secret Pain' - MACSAS Response.  Margaret Kennedy's critique of this document, from the perspective of someone with years of experience in supporting victims of abuse by clergy.

The Irish Times archive search - probably Ireland's best textual archive on the crisis.  Requires subscription.

MACSAS 'Minister & Clergy Sexual Abuse Survivors' - an interdenominational group run by clergy and minister survivors for clergy and minister survivors. They try to support adult victims/survivors who were sexually abused as children or as adults by clergy or Ministers.  Originating in the UK, MACSAS has Irish members also.

napac The national association for people abused as children.  Originating in the UK this seems to have an Irish presence also.

OCN Ireland  The Open Christianity Network in Ireland.  An inter-denominational Irish network aiming to interest and involve Christians who may be alienated from their original faith communities, especially for intellectual reasons (e.g. biblical fundamentalism).  It focuses mostly on discussion of theological issues.

One in Four - The organisation supporting victims of abuse, founded and directed by Colm O'Gorman.  Colm is a survivor of clerical child sex abuse in the diocese of Ferns, and is probably Ireland's premier advocate for victims of this kind of abuse.  The site is a welcoming and helpful place, especially for those who may feel estranged from their church as a result of abuse.

Our Children, Our Church - our church's guidelines on child protection, essential reading for all who interface with children in the Irish Republic.  (NI Catholics need to take account of differences required by NI law.)  This button will get you the digital version of OCOC in pdf format.  (NB this requires the free software Adobe Reader.  You can download this from the Adobe Download site.)

Preda Foundation - an anti-sex-abuse foundation in the Philippines, set up by Irishman Fr Shay Cullen - a thorn in the side of all those who would exploit children and other vulnerable people.

RTE - News archives on the abuse crisis.  Searches here can often turn up important radio or TV interviews with key people on key events and issues.

Stop It Now UK and Ireland :  an organisation combatting child sexual abuse in the UK and Northern Ireland using media campaigns.

The Vatican website gives access to many important church documents, including the address of Pope John Paul II to the Irish bishops on their last regular ad limina visit to Rome in 1999.

Sacred Space - Prayer site run by the Irish Jesuits.  Highly recommended.

SNAP - Survivors' Network of those Abused by Priests Another US-originated organisation, but  with Irish members and ready to welcome more.

Voice of the Faithful (USA) - The main VOTF site, with a wealth of links and resources.  It would not be sensible for this Irish VOTF site to duplicate everything there, so Irish VOTF supporters should get to know this US-based site as well.

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.

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