CLERICAL abuse victims pointed the Bishop of Ferns, Denis Brennan, towards the Vatican when they heard about his appeal to parishioners to fund outstanding diocesan compensation and legal fees.Colm O’Gorman, a former abuse victim from the diocese who campaigned to have the Ferns Inquiry established, said that the bulk of the Church’s payments were to lawyers, used by the Church to obstruct victims in their pursuit of the truth.
"Legal bills should be recouped from normal diocesan revenues not from taxpayers’ money or from the Catholic Church’s Stewardship Fund, which should only be used for settlements to victims.
"Up to 2003, the Church chose to be highly adversarial in its approach to cases and these legal fees are the result. Furthermore, I never wanted to sue the parishioners. I wanted to hold the Church to account and that’s why I sued Ferns as I could not sue the Vatican," Amnesty International’s executive director said.
"The Vatican has massive resources but it is choosing to maintain its pomp and ceremony rather than spend money on the preservation of dioceses. Also, it wants to suggest that the problem is an Irish problem and that a lack of national governance is the problem.
"It is a global problem and Rome, at the top of the Church, continues to lie and be dishonest about it. If they are truly serious, they need to also look at inquiries in countries where they have not taken place – in the developing world – where it is much harder for victim’s voices to be heard."
Director of One in Four Maeve Lewis said their phonelines were busy once again as victims reacted to the bishop’s appeal.
"Most of the money is in relation to lawyers fees – their attempts to defend the indefensible. If they had been open about the abuse, these long drawn-out cases would not have happened. Victims are now worried that the Church is now trying to portray itself as a victim and them as greedy and insatiable."
Christine Buckley, who suffered years of abuse in Goldenbridge Industrial School, said she was "entirely shocked by the request from the Bishop of Ferns".
"I am really, really shocked. It is totally unbelievable. There is nothing lower than what they did today. They are asking people for money to pay for their rape of young boys and girls? What planet are these people on?
"These people have made Judas look like a saint. They haven’t an ounce of understanding of what damage this does.
"If I won the lotto, I would hire an expert to find out just how much money has gone from this country to the Vatican. Why aren’t the Vatican coughing up?"
Andrew Madden, who was abused by Fr Ivan Payne in the Dublin Archdiocese, believes the diocese should be turning to Rome for help.
"Instead of putting a mortgage on the bishop’s house, why isn’t it being put on the market?
"Why aren’t other properties being put on the market? They are only looking for about €60,000 a year; surely Rome could pay for that?
"Let us not forget, the Vatican is a very wealthy organisation."
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