ARCHBISHOP Diarmuid Martin is planning a series of meetings for priests in the Dublin diocese to discuss the likely fall-out from the commission of inquiry into abuse by Catholic priests who served there. The commission, an independent state-appointed body which carried out its work in private, is expected to publish its report early in the new year and the diocese is expecting a renewed furore over its handling of the abuse scandal over many decades.
Plans for a series of preparatory meetings were revealed by The Irish Catholic newspaper, which quoted from a letter marked “private and confidential” which was sent by Archbishop Martin to the priests of the diocese.
Earlier this month, the diocese revealed it believed the number of people to have suffered at the hands of abusive priests to be 400, but warned that figure was likely to rise.
In the letter, Archbishop Martin describes that number as staggering and adds: “It is most certainly not final.”
He continues: “Suffering will be awakened in the hearts of many by the publication of the report” and says priests must be prepared to deal with the issue and the concerns of their parishioners when its findings emerge.
“As a diocese we have to respond with honesty, regret and courage, but also in a manner which shows Christian care and understanding.”
The leaking of the letter has angered diocesan authorities who are understood to have concerns that it creates the incorrect impression that the priests will get to see the commission’s findings before the victims.
A diocesan spokesperson would not discuss the issue yesterday except to say that the headline used in The Irish Catholic, “Abuse Report — Dublin priests to get early briefing” was misleading.
The commission of inquiry was set up by then justice minster Michael McDowell in March 2006. It has a brief to investigate complaints of child sex abuse made to the Catholic church and state authorities from 1975 to 2004 against Catholic clergy operating in the Dublin diocese.
It was due to have finalised its report by last September, but was granted an extension and is now due to complete its work by the end of January and have its report made public soon afterwards.
The Dublin diocese meanwhile carried out its own audit and the figure of 400 victims disclosed by the diocese earlier this month relates to the 68-year period since 1940 when records began.
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