THERE WAS no indication of any concern on the part of the Vatican for
the abused children, Fianna Fáil justice spokesman Dara Calleary said.
“While
the Vatican authorities might not have encouraged bishops to break the
law, they encouraged them to put the reputation of the church before the
protection of children,” he said.
“They were more worried about embarrassment than the damage of abuse.”
He
asked about the extent to which the Vatican had interfered in other
dioceses, saying that should be a factor in the HSE audit.
Mr Calleary said the Vatican had yet to issue a formal response a week after the Cloyne report’s publication.
Its
only response was through a spokesman who, in a personal capacity, said
there was nothing in the advice given by the papal nuncio in 1997 to
encourage bishops to break Irish laws.
The spokesman had said that the
Vatican’s advice on child protection policies could not be interpreted
as an invitation to cover up abuse.
“Does he take us for fools?’’ Mr Calleary asked.
He said the strongest message should be directed at those who covered up in Cloyne, the Vatican and elsewhere.
Fianna
Fáil leader Micheál Martin said the church had always played a
significant role and had been respected and valued by both people of
faith and the wider community.
“The undeniable facts in this
report show a different picture of the Catholic Church in Cloyne.
Abusers were allowed to use their status as clergy to carry out the most
appalling crimes and the church’s leadership in the diocese and in Rome
showed a callous disregard for safety and the rights of the most
vulnerable members of the flock.”
This was done not simply to
avoid scandal.
“It went much further and involved a wilful refusal to
respect basic moral and legal responsibilities.’’
Mr Martin said the stand of some church leaders, most especially Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, should be acknowledged.
“The
church will only retain a place of importance in our society if his
colleagues follow him in his impressive commitment to acknowledging and
addressing the failure of the church over too many years.”
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (SF) said the church was not above the law and it was high time it stopped thinking it was.
“Bishop
John Magee had no interest in protecting the children of Cloyne and
fobbed off his responsibility to Msgr Denis O’Callaghan who, equally,
had no interest in reporting the abuse of children to the authorities.
Bishop Magee actively and knowingly lied to the government, the health
service and the Garda.”
Mr Ó Caoláin accused Bishop Magee of
concealing information on crimes committed by priests in his diocese.
“He actively engaged in the reckless and, at times, wilful endangerment
of children.”
He said there were prosecutions to be faced by those
who had perpetrated crimes against children, either through directly
abusing them or being complicit in the cover-up of the abuse.
“Nothing less, I fear, will bring an end to this lurid regime.’’
Mr
Ó Caoláin said the cardinals might have apologised for the report but
that was not good enough.
“The official church has disgraced itself in
the handling of this most serious of issues. It is absolutely disgusting
and goes right to the top.”