A PRIEST who called for the immediate resignation of any archbishop or bishop who knew of clerical abuse was applauded by his congregation at Mass in Co Galway yesterday.Fr Abe Kennedy, chaplain at Portumna Community School, said archbishops or bishops who knew what was going on were as bad as the priests who abused children.
Speaking at Mass in St Brigid’s Church in the Co Galway town, Fr Kennedy received applause from his congregation in Portumna.
"I feel quite strongly about it. They were as bad as the priests who committed the crimes," he said.
"I got quite a few phone calls afterwards from people who thanked me for being so honest."
Numerous bishops including the Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh, apologised at Sunday Mass for the "dreadful" breaches of trust in the Dublin Archdiocese.
In a statement read out at all Masses in the diocese of Killaloe yesterday, Dr Walsh and the diocese’s priests expressed their own "deep sadness and shame at the revelations contained in the Dublin Report in relation to child sexual abuse".
Dr Walsh stated: "First and foremost we acknowledge the deep pain and suffering experienced by you who have been victims of sexual abuse."
Another Irish bishop told his congregations he found the handling of complaints revolting and shameful.
In a statement read at Masses, Bishop Colm O’Reilly, of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, apologised for the suffering caused to children by priests.
"What makes this criminal activity most abhorrent is that it was perpetrated by people with a sacred calling who betrayed the trust placed in them," said Bishop O’Reilly.
"It must be accepted Church leaders put the good of the Church as institution before the welfare of the abused and failed to act in an appropriate manner. A great wrong has been done which I find revolting and shameful."
Dromore Bishop Dr John McAreavey revealed he would step down if he was found to lack credibility.
"All I can say is that any bishop today around whom there are serious questions in relation to the care and protection of children has serious questions to answer," Dr McAreavey told BBC Radio Ulster.
"I’m sure Bishop Murray is reflecting on that – I know that he has taken the view that he should remain, but I think he will be thinking very seriously about that."
In Killaloe, Dr Walsh said that sexual abuse of children, by any person, is a heinous crime. "We want to assure you our diocese has worked diligently putting structures in place to ensure that, as far as humanly possible, such breach of trust will never occur in the future".
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