Tuesday, March 16, 2010

‘Cardinal Brady should resign’ – Father Hegarty

ALLEGATIONS of sexual abuse – whether made today or 35 years ago – should not have remained ‘within a closed clerical cabal’.

That is the unflinching and categorical view of longtime priest and Mayo News columnist, Father Kevin Hegarty.

Speaking on the national airwaves yesterday, Kevin Hegarty argued that the Primate of Ireland, Cardinal Sean Brady should reflect on his position.

Now, in his column in this week’s Mayo News, he says Cardinal Brady should resign.

Since the weekend Cardinal Brady has faced a chorus of calls for his resignation. This was after revelations that, back in 1975, he attended two secret meetings with a teenage girl and an altar boy who claimed they were sexually abused by notorious paedophile, Father Brendan Smyth.

A canon lawyer, young priest Father Sean Brady (then 36 years of age) was acting on behalf of the Bishop of Kilmore, Francis McKiernan.

In his Second Reading column, Kevin Hegarty writes: “The sexual abuse of children is a crime now. It was a crime in 1975. Respect for and the adherence to the requirements of civil law in a democracy is the duty of every citizen. There is no special opt-out clause for Catholic clerics. The 1975 allegations should not have remained within a closed clerical cabal,” Kevin Hegarty writes.

Coincidentally, as the Archbishop of Tuam, Dr Michael Neary last night declined to comment on the latest shocking revelation to rock the Catholic Church, the launch of the diocese’s ‘Safeguarding Children Policy’ was being rolled out in parishes.

In the Foreword, Dr Neary writes: “Our church must be at the forefront in supporting and safeguarding children. We must provide safe and secure environments where young people can gather to explore and celebrate their faith together.”

He continues: “The development of this Safeguarding Children Policy and its subsequent adoption by every parish and church agency of the Archdiocese is just one vital step towards ensuring the very best of care and support for our children and young people.”

Dr Neary also observes that young people are both the church’s ‘greatest asset’ and ‘greatest challenge’.

“Their innocence and vulnerability have the capacity to draw so much goodness and love from concerned adults. As our greatest asset our children and young people are deserving of the very best which we have to offer in terms of resources and education but also in terms of care and support,” he also states.

The document’s launch is accompanied by a workshop on the principles of best practice while caring for and in contact with children. The diocese has called on all those people, either employed or voluntary, who have regular contact with children in a church setting to attend the presentations.

In a recent Mayo News article a spokesman for Archbishop Neary confirmed there was no priest currently serving in a ministry, in the diocese, who is the subject of an investigation involving child sexual abuse allegation.

In another recent release by the diocese, it was revealed that of the 16 priests, attached to the diocese, against whom child sexual abuse allegations were made in the past 70 years, nine are now deceased.

Allegations were also made against seven priests who did occasional work for the diocese, two of these are now deceased.

It has also been revealed that two Tuam diocesan priests have been convicted of child sexual abuse charges, while one priest attached to the diocese has received a conviction.

Moreover, ten civil actions involving child sexual abuse have been brought, all ten of which have been settled involving compensation sums amounting to €520,000.

The Safeguarding Children Policy of the Archdiocese of Tuam has been developed by the Tuam Diocesan Safeguarding Committee and is compliant with civil legislation (Children First 1999) and church guidelines (Safeguarding Children 2009).
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