A YOUNG man took his own life and his sister had to have
psychiatric treatment when they were both abused by a priest who died
in the early 1990s.
When the woman reported the case to Monsignor Denis
O’Callaghan, he tried to funnel money towards her counselling through a
local charitable trust.
He subsequently sent cheques to the trust, which
thanked him for the donation and he was assured the case would be
dealt with sensitively.
However, when the victim discovered how the money was being paid she objected.
However, when the victim discovered how the money was being paid she objected.
She told a priest who was
supporting her about her concerns.
Msgr O’Callaghan then routed the money for her counselling through the priest who had been helping her.
The woman, who was given the name Skyla to protect her identity, made her complaint in 1997 but at the time Msgr O’Callaghan took no action.
The priest had died six years earlier and Skyla was offered help with counselling.
Msgr O’Callaghan then routed the money for her counselling through the priest who had been helping her.
The woman, who was given the name Skyla to protect her identity, made her complaint in 1997 but at the time Msgr O’Callaghan took no action.
The priest had died six years earlier and Skyla was offered help with counselling.
The priest helping her was told the diocese
would go no further.
"Msgr O’Callaghan showed the priest the relevant parts of the letter written in reply to another civil legal action.
"In a subsequent letter to the priest he explained that the diocesan policy was to provide for bona fide counselling /therapy for a traumatised person, without prejudice," he said.
The priest told Skyla to get a solicitor to advise her.
In 2003 she tried to take a civil case against the Cloyne diocese in the courts. However, it denied responsibility and its solicitor told her the diocese had no legal liability.
The commission said as soon as Skyla made her allegation in 1997 it should have been investigated irrespective of whether the accused priest was dead.
It said no distinction should have been made between living priests and, despite the assertions of Msgr O’Callaghan, proper procedures would have required gardaí to be informed.
"No record was made of the complaint and no investigation was carried out. The complaint was not reported to the civil authorities. Fr Moray had been dead for six years but, nevertheless, the procedures should have been followed," it said.
When Skyla contacted the diocese for the second time in 2000 she was being treated by psychiatric services and was in touch with social services.
"Msgr O’Callaghan showed the priest the relevant parts of the letter written in reply to another civil legal action.
"In a subsequent letter to the priest he explained that the diocesan policy was to provide for bona fide counselling /therapy for a traumatised person, without prejudice," he said.
The priest told Skyla to get a solicitor to advise her.
In 2003 she tried to take a civil case against the Cloyne diocese in the courts. However, it denied responsibility and its solicitor told her the diocese had no legal liability.
The commission said as soon as Skyla made her allegation in 1997 it should have been investigated irrespective of whether the accused priest was dead.
It said no distinction should have been made between living priests and, despite the assertions of Msgr O’Callaghan, proper procedures would have required gardaí to be informed.
"No record was made of the complaint and no investigation was carried out. The complaint was not reported to the civil authorities. Fr Moray had been dead for six years but, nevertheless, the procedures should have been followed," it said.
When Skyla contacted the diocese for the second time in 2000 she was being treated by psychiatric services and was in touch with social services.