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On December 9th, 2009, in response to the publication
of the Murphy report on clerical child sex abuse in Dublin archdiocese,
the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference announced:
"We are shamed by the extent to which child sexual abuse was covered
up in the Archdiocese of Dublin and recognise that this indicates a
culture that was widespread in the Church."
The period referred to was 1975-2004. During the period 1982-1994 Bishop
Seamus Hegarty was bishop of Raphoe. The prolific
child rapist Eugene Greene served as a priest in Raphoe in that period.
Gardai did not become aware of his crimes against twenty-six young men
until 1997. However, there is compelling evidence, revealed in
2008 in the book 'Breaking the Silence' * that
his criminal activities were known to Raphoe clergy at least as early as
1976.
When Bishop Hegarty approved the Irish bishops' statement of December
9th, was he admitting that the 'widespread' cover up of clerical child
sex abuse extended to the diocese of Raphoe during his term of office
there? Or does he deny having had any knowledge during that period
of Greene's abusive proclivities and activities?
Bishop Moriarty of Kildare and Leighlin has tendered his resignation on
the grounds that he should have challenged the culture of cover up that
prevailed in the Dublin archdiocese when he was an auxiliary bishop
there. All bishops who failed that challenge should now resign
also. Is Bishop Hegarty one such, or was he inexplicably unaware
of the cover up culture that prevailed among bishops in Ireland during
the period 1975-2004?
*Breaking
the Silence, Martin Ridge and
Gerard Cunningham, Gill and Macmillan, 2008
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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
1. To support
survivors of clergy sexual abuse.
2. To support priests of integrity
3.To shape structural change within the Catholic Church.
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