Priests' group's first meeting since report

THE COUNCIL of Priests of Dublin’s Catholic archdiocese will meet today for the first time since publication of the Murphy report on November 26th.

In attendance will be Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, auxiliary bishops Éamonn Walsh and Ray Field, former chancellor of the archdiocese Msgr Alex Stenson and its current chancellor Msgr John Dolan. Bishops Walsh and Field, as well as chancellors Stenson and Dolan, are all mentioned in the report.

Where knowledge of clerical child sex abuse by priests in the archdiocese was concerned, the report found “some priests were aware that particular instances of abuse had occurred.

A few were courageous and brought complaints to the attention of their superiors. The vast majority simply chose to turn a blind eye.”

It continued: “the cases show that several instances of suspicion were never acted upon until inquiries were made.”

Last night Dublin Diocesan Council of Priests chairman Fr Joe Mullan said of that finding, “I have no idea personally what information Judge Murphy had in forming that opinion. We [priests], clearly, are sensitive about it. It flies in the face of personal experience of 30 years. I’m still waiting to meet a priest who didn’t share it [information about allegations of abuse].”

He said “nothing could prepare you for the emotional reaction to the sheer volume of abuse in the diocese over the period investigated”, he said.

While there had been support from some of the laity, one older man had said to him: “Ye’ve already lost our children. Ye’ll never get our grandchildren. I cannot believe ye’re losing our generation.”

Such people, Fr Mullan felt, “are not disassociating themselves from us, but from the leadership”. Older people “are so wounded, it is extraordinary.”

Priests too had been hurt by “the system of power and the secrecy” in the archdiocese, he said.

“Though not comparable to the hurt suffered by survivors of abuse, this has contributed to a sense of loss of identity with the institution,” he said.

Current Members of the Fifteenth Council

Members:

The Most Rev. Eamonn Walsh, D.D.

The Most Rev. Raymond Field, D.D.

Right Rev. Monsignor John Fitzpatrick, P.P.

Right Rev. Monsignor Lorcan O’Brien

Right Rev. Monsignor Enda Lloyd, P.P.

Very Rev. Monsignor Dermot Clarke, P.P.
Very Rev. John Hughes, O.S.A.

Very Rev. Ciarán O'Carroll

Rev. Laurence Behan, C.C.

Right Rev. Monsignor Peter Briscoe, P.P.

Very Rev. David Brough, P.P.

Very Rev. Monsignor Paul Callan

Very Rev. Michael Carey, Adm.

Very Rev. Michael Cullen, P.P.
Very Rev. Padraig Daly, O.S.A. P.P.

Right Rev. Monsignor John Dolan

Rev. James Fingleton

Very Rev. Dermot Lane, P.P.

Very Rev. Eoin McCrystal, P.P.

Very Rev. Francis Mc Evoy, P.P.
Rev. Patrick McKinley, C.C.

Rev. Dermot Mills, O.M.I. Co-P.P.

Rev. Gerard Moore, C.C.

Very Rev. Benedict Moran, O.P., P.P.

Very Rev. Donal Neary, S.J., P.P.

Rev. Dan Joe O’Mahony, O.F.M.Cap.

Very Rev. Michael Sheils, Adm.
Right Rev. Monsignor Alex Stenson, P.P.

Rev. Patrick Sweeney

Rev. Paul Taylor, C.C.

Very Rev. David Weakliam, O.Carm., P.P.

College of Consultors
Most Rev. Eamonn Walsh D.D.
Most Rev. Raymond Field, D.D.
Monsignor John Fitzpatrick, P.P.
Monsignor Enda Lloyd, P.P.
Very Rev. Gerard Tanham, P.P.
Very Rev. Eoin McCrystal, P.P.
Very Rev. Benedict Moran, O.P., P.P.
Monsignor Lorcan O'Brien, Moderator
Monsignor John Dolan, Chancellor
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