VICTIMS of clerical sex abuse in the diocese of Cloyne
have expressed absolute fury at the decision to draft in a UCD
psychologist to prepare priests for the public outcry once the Murphy
Commission report into abuse is published. The victims were all outraged yesterday when they learned of the planned meeting in Cork city for all priests and seminarians.
The event has been organised by the diocese’s Apostolic
Administrator, Archbishop Dermot Clifford of Cashel and Emly.
In a letter to priests across 46 parishes, Archbishop Clifford said they will discuss on Sunday "what strategies we might adopt on the day of its publication and immediately afterwards".
Last night, one of the victims said that such a meeting should have been organised by the diocese for them — so they could be prepared for the psychological impact of their abuse being discussed in public again.
"We are all feeling exactly the same. Did they ever think about how the publication of the report will affect us? It makes me ill to hear of their ‘strategies’ as they never did anything for us. There is nobody amongst them checking in on us, asking how we are?"
UCD psychologist Dr Marie Murray will meet with the priests and seminarians from across north and east Cork at the Common’s Inn.
When the Dublin Archdiocese report was published over a year ago, Dr Murray was also invited by the Dublin Archdiocese to talk to priests about the expected negative reaction from parishioners and the media.
The archdiocese’s investigation into Cloyne, which took nearly two years to complete, was given to Justice Minister Dermot Ahern before Christmas and is likely to be published before Easter. A copy of the report has been sent to the Attorney General’s Office.
The Murphy Commission investigated the handling by the Cloyne Diocese of allegations of abuse made against 19 priests over a 13-year period between 1996 and 2009. Its work was extended to Cloyne early last year.
In a letter to priests across 46 parishes, Archbishop Clifford said they will discuss on Sunday "what strategies we might adopt on the day of its publication and immediately afterwards".
Last night, one of the victims said that such a meeting should have been organised by the diocese for them — so they could be prepared for the psychological impact of their abuse being discussed in public again.
"We are all feeling exactly the same. Did they ever think about how the publication of the report will affect us? It makes me ill to hear of their ‘strategies’ as they never did anything for us. There is nobody amongst them checking in on us, asking how we are?"
UCD psychologist Dr Marie Murray will meet with the priests and seminarians from across north and east Cork at the Common’s Inn.
When the Dublin Archdiocese report was published over a year ago, Dr Murray was also invited by the Dublin Archdiocese to talk to priests about the expected negative reaction from parishioners and the media.
The archdiocese’s investigation into Cloyne, which took nearly two years to complete, was given to Justice Minister Dermot Ahern before Christmas and is likely to be published before Easter. A copy of the report has been sent to the Attorney General’s Office.
The Murphy Commission investigated the handling by the Cloyne Diocese of allegations of abuse made against 19 priests over a 13-year period between 1996 and 2009. Its work was extended to Cloyne early last year.
SIC: IEX/IE