Belfast based Priest, Father Patrick McCafferty, an outspoken critic of the Church's dealing of sexual abuse cases, has said as a result of Father Jeremiah McGrath's (pictured alongside here) conviction, there is a heightened need for an independent audit and inquiry of the Catholic dioceses in the North.In a letter which appeared this week in the ' Irish News', Fr McCafferty said the 'wicked acts' of William Adams and Jeremiah McGrath were possessed of a 'unique dimension of evil'.
In McGrath's case, he said, there was a clear and callous disregard for the child victim of Adam's perverted attentions.
"McGrath's lack of remorse betrays a very deep and grave level of malfunction. Given what McGrath has already admitted in court, his bizarre obsession and sexual relationship (albeit brief) with Adams along with his failure to warn the child's family of Adam's past convictions for child sexual abuse, very serious issues are flagged up, for both the Diocese of Clogher and St. Patrick's Missionary Society."
In the case of McGrath, he noted, there was talk by the Diocese and Kiltegan Fathers (he belongs to the Order) of the complex disciplinary procedure which takes place under Canon Law.
"However, there is only complexity where people choose and decide to create it in their own minds and hearts', Fr McCafferty argued. "
In view of what McGrath has already freely admitted, it would be shocking if Canon lawyers are not already engaged in the procedure of writing the appeal to Rome for the dismissal of Jeremiah McGrath from the clerical state."
Since the Apostolic decree, he went on, known as Sacramentorum Sanctitatis Tutela issued by Pope John Paul II on April 30, 2001, it was no longer the prerogative of diocesan bishops or religious superiors to decide cases of clerical sexual abuse of minors, by themselves.
"They are duty bound to refer such cases to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) in Rome', he submitted. "
Since 2001, the Holy See has dismissed from the priesthood many sexual predators about whose cases both criminal and civil authorities deemed there was 'insufficient evident to secure a conviction'. In other words there was evidence but not enough of it.
Fr McCafferty said the legal system sought forensic evidence which, he suggested, was difficult to produce for victims of sexual crimes that occurred in the past.
"Sexual attackers normally ensure there are no witnesses to their crimes and, after being violated, the victim's instinct is to get clean.
"The Holy See, however, looks for the semblance of truth in any allegation of clerical sexual abuse. When Pope John Paul II summoned the Cardinals of the United States Church to Rome in 2002 in the midst of the Boston scandals, he told them: 'There is no place in the priesthood, or in the religious life, for those who would harm the young'.
"Jeremiah McGrath has greatly contributed by what he has done and failed to do, to the devastation of a young girl's life. There can be no doubting what Pope Benedict XVI and William Cardinal Levada, prefect of the CDF, will make of McGrath's crimes (and he can appeal his sentence as much as he likes)."
Fr McCafferty said that this most recent 'disturbing case' highlighted the necessity for an entirely independent audit and inquiry into the Northern Irish Catholic dioceses, as to their historic handling of clerical sexual abuse.
"The northern diocese should be rigorously scrutinised in these matters, as was done in Ferns and is being done in Dublin. The Northern Ireland Assembly would undertake to do so as a joint venture with the southern Ireland administration.
"Only full disclosure and sincere honesty will heal the Church and atone for the evils perpetrated against Christ present in his most vulnerable members", he stated.
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