THE Roman Catholic archdiocese of Dublin “obsessively” covered up widespread sexual abuse of children by priests until the mid-1990s in a misuse of the Church’s central role in Irish society, an official report said today.
The government-commissioned inquiry into abuse in the Irish capital from 1975 to 2004, which came six months after a similarly damning report about Church-run industrial and reform schools, also accused state officials of abetting the cover-up, according to this report.
In this file photo, an alleged victim of child abuse collapses in distress after being interviewed by the media in Dublin, Republic of Ireland, during a demonstration against child abuse (Joe Dunne/Getty Images)
The report, designed to show how church and state responded to charges of abusing children, said a representative sample of 46 priests made “abundantly clear” that it was widespread.
The Dublin Archdiocese’s preoccupations in dealing with cases of child sexual abuse, at least until the mid-1990s, were the maintenance of secrecy, the avoidance of scandal, the protection of the reputation of the Church, and the preservation of its assets.
The report, published by the Justice Ministry, adds:
All other considerations, including the welfare of children and justice for victims, were subordinated to these priorities.
Similar abuse cover-up charges have dogged the Catholic Church in other countries, especially the United States. Seven dioceses there have filed for bankruptcy protection to shield themselves from law suits by abuse victims.
Pope Benedict has condemned sexual abuse by clergy and said wayward priests should be brought to justice. He met abuse victims during his 2008 visit to the United States.
Abuse cases have also been reported elsewhere, notably in Australia, Austria, Britain, Canada, France and Poland.
The Irish report said the Church was “obsessively” concerned with secrecy and operated a policy of “don’t ask, don’t tell” about abuse, though the situation improved after 1996.
Unfortunately, it may be that the very prominent role which the Church has played in Irish life is the very reason why abuses by a minority of its members were allowed to go unchecked.
The government acknowledged the errors of state agencies mentioned in the report.
Whatever the historical and societal reasons for this, the government, on behalf of the state, apologizes without reservation or equivocation for failures … in dealing with this issue.
The Church in Ireland has been plagued by sex scandals for at least two decades. The country was shocked in 1992 when the popular Bishop Eamonn Casey of Galway resigned after an American woman revealed they had a child from a passionate affair.
Disclosures in May of decades of floggings, slave labour and gang rape in much of Ireland’s now defunct system of industrial and reform schools earlier in the 20th century shamed Ireland and further eroded the Catholic Church’s moral authority.
Work on the latest report, begun in 2006, finished months ago but publication was delayed until the High Court cleared it last week with some details removed because they could jeopardize criminal proceedings.
It said some priests had denied the charges against them, but one admitted abusing over 100 children while another said he had abused on a fortnightly basis for over 25 years.
The report said state authorities facilitated the cover up of abuse.
The welfare of children … was not even a factor to be considered in the early stages.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
November 26th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Truly disgusting stuff. The organisations top priority is clearly its own protection and not that of children. This is not something which shows any sign of changes. It’s the same man that has been controlling the handling of the issue from the top for a long time, you guessed it, the current pope both in his current and previous positions.
When will the world learn not to trust these organisations?
http://carnifexinsania.blogspot.com/
November 26th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
A disgusting situation. The churches priority is clearly to protect its self and that shows no sign of changing. The man responsible for many years has been cardinal and now pope Ratzinger.
The world must learn that you can’t trust churches any more than any other group of creepy old men.
http://carnifexinsania.blogspot.com/
November 26th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Why is the government of the Irish state apologising? It the bloody priests of the catholic church that are responsible. All we get are platitudes from the pope saying that they should be punished set against the background of historical cover ups by the vatican itself. You know what they say about leading by example…
November 26th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
I was reading a book recently about John Charles McQuaid, Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland from 1940 to 1972. Oh dear!!!
November 26th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
pablo,
The Irish government effectively handed over huge areas of responsibility for the most vulnerable members of society to the RC church for generations, and chose not to know what the result was. They colluded, at the very least. They should indeed apologise. As for the church, they have been so busy forgiving each other that the rest of don’t need to and damn well shouldn’t. Any apology, even Joey Ratz crawling on his knees to Dublin, would be inadequate.
November 26th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Hang on a mo, would not the church hierarchy be at least as guilty as the pedo-priests that committed the abuses under joint venture or conspiracy laws – I no lawyer, but I wonder could the victims of abuse carry out a class action/ private prosecution of the church?
Maybe they could get a warrant to arrest the Pope the second he sets foot out of the Vatican City
November 26th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
The Catholic church has become so powerful that it behaves as though it is above the law; this is what happens when Governments appease them.
This is an example of why there should not be any type of so called “faith” based welfare. Blair, and now Brown and co are very keen to hand over welfare to the religious zealots.
November 26th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
Perhaps the Archbishop of Westminster, or his immediate predecessor, could be invited on Thought for the Day. They remain honoured guests and, indeed, those who control the daily bore, may be assumed to wet themselves with excitement at such prestigious guests. Subject: The importance of the Roman Catholic values and their teaching by the priest. A bishop in the House of Lords – unelected, of course – said the other day that the programme must be kept free of atheists as the history of England was based on Christian values. The demand for a secular voice was described elswhere as “a typical kneejerk reaction from a small minority of atheist malcontents.”
Looks like we have much to be “malcontent” about.
November 26th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
This is another reason why religion and education should be kept apart
November 26th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Speaking of child abuse, I would urge you all to either watch or record the repeat of this week’s Dispatches, on Ch4 tonight at 2am, if you have not already seeen it. It is a follow-up to their previous award-winning documentary about so-called “child-witches” in Nigeria, and the odious Mrs Helen Ukpabio, about whom we have already had discussions. The interview with her, which is secretly recorded, is a classic! (You can watch her on YouTube as well.) There is footage of the break-up of the meeting which Barry featured here, and evidence of the mortal danger that faces the people involved in the Stepping Stones charity, who are trying to stop this abuse. I have to warn you that some parts of the programme are extremely upsetting, but these things need to be publicised.
November 26th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
The catholic church, and the Irish government, have both been involved in this abuse and cover-up. Any other organization would be considered a criminal one and it’s assets would be seized, but in this case it won’t happen, because too many people are in awe of religion. And the pope should keep his mouth shut, especially in this case, as he was involved in cover-up operations big time, while he was working for the Inquisition (more appropriate than it’s present name) in Rome.
November 27th, 2009 at 2:35 am
I think what everyone needs to understand is that most of the men and women of the Irish government ARE themselves Catholics. Thus there is no true secular government, not when you have governments that are populated by religious politicians. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if a lot of these insane bastards were being paid off to keep their mouths shut by the Vatican or some other high ranking Vatican officials.
None of us will ever have true secular governments of church/state separation while we keep on voting in politicians who are themselves religious. We’re having such trouble here in Australia now with the breakdown of leadership of the Liberal Party (Conservatives) who may be lead by Tony Abbot, who is a devout catholic. There is little hope of putting religion back into its nasty little box till we get rid of religious pollies.
Callisto
November 27th, 2009 at 6:49 am
Don, I agree with your comment, I think I was more outraged that had the preists not started abusing children then the whole sorry mess would not have happened. What really ticked me off is that you didn’t hear a peep from them.
November 27th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Would it be fair to say that the Catholic Church is one of the least Christlike institutions in history?
November 27th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
David Stevenson: all depends what “Christ” was like really! If he was any one of the characters put forward as the “real” Jesus, then they could well be following in his footsteps!!
November 27th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
It turns out now, in a new twist to this story, that the Vatican (and this is going to come as a BIG surprise to you all) refused to cooperate in the investigation! Something to do with the request “not going through the right channels”!!
November 27th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
Pope Nazi will come out any day to scream about how rights for gays and atheists are ruining the world. Then he’ll mention that yes, the abuse was a bad thing but not nearly as bad as what those nasty homos are doing to the world with all their demands for people to stop killing them and all.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
This morning I decided to listen to Thought for the Day – wondering whether the Dublin Horror might get a mention. The speaker, and I hope I got this right, was one Roy Jenkins of the Baptist persuasion. Mr Jenkins began rather promisingly as he got to work on the wish of the public to get to work on the outcomes of the Chilcott Enquiry into Iraq. Some comments about our readiness to blame, lack of understanding of the difficulties of our leaders and then winding up with some wise words from Jesus about “judge not” etc.
Not a word,not a mention, about the horrors perpetrated and revealed in Dublin. Instead, we get the patronising, sanctimonious sludge of a religious speaker keeping clear of any critcism of other preachers. How much longer can this nauseating programme be allowed to continue. If ever there was a damning example of the religious closed shop not criticising its ownb then this was it.
November 28th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
It’s a simple question taking in the Church’s history since its official formation in its present form by Emperor Constantine how can a civilized world continue to let this institution create the illusion that they represent the faithful believers of “Jesus Christ”. Does the Vatican and its many branches represent the teachings of our Lord” The answer is simple “No” The Pope and the Catholic Church as an institution should be renounced and all official recognition from every nation should be revoked. Let the priest and true believers in the teachings of “Jesus Christ” leave the “Church” and go out in the same fashion as did our “Lord” and preach the gospel to its people as free men without the burden or restraints of the “Official Doctrine of The Pope and the Vatican. Let the institution of the “Vatican” and all it represents be denied any legitimacy by the people of the world and may it be done in our time.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:03 am
MMmm……………. An old fashion cyber stoning of the weakness of man, no matter his calling. It will be once more, that through Grace and Grace alone that The Way will find its way forward.
November 29th, 2009 at 7:01 am
Michael, At least you got that one right, the weakness of MAN. In this case to keep his hands off of little children for his perveted sexual desires. Obviously Paul’s great experiment of being celibate for the lord is just a hoax. This goes against the very core of human desires. If the Catholic doctrines weren’t so sexually oppressed, maybe they would have avoided all of these scandels. Let them marry and have their natural desires be fullfilled. Nope, they believe they are above it all, but the truth is they are NOT!!!
November 29th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Even the writer of the Epistle to the Romans (whoever that was) couldn’t get the better of his “inner demons”! Read Chapter Seven if you don’t believe me!!
November 29th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
Below I quote an extract from a comment I made at Pharyngula, concerning the report of the scandal of the Dublin diocese.
‘Might I suggest that those of us who are lapsed Catholics take steps to formally leave the church in protest.
I link to a website with which I have no personal connection which facilitates this process. If others here would help publicise this, in blogs, discussion boards, social messaging sites…then that would be good, too.
http://www.countmeout.ie/‘
As I type 3783 have filled out the relevant ‘Declaration of Defection’.
It would, I hope, give a strong message to the RCC if those readers who are lapsed Catholics would take the trouble to formally leave the church, and to have a record of their leaving added to their baptismal records.
Perhaps any Catholic readers here who retain their faith in God might also consider formally leaving the RCC in protest at the institutional cover-up – I suspect that they could find a religious home in a Church of England which would be less homophobic and misogynist if some of its battier members secede to Rome, as appears to be on the cards. Though how they could now reconcile doing so with their consciences after the latest report defeats me.
It would be a nice irony were some Catholics to formally resign, and secede to the CoE, anyway.
Though, as I say, I have no personal connection with either the Catholic Church or the Count Me Out website, I’d be grateful if readers do use the website to leave if they no longer wish to be counted as members of the RCC, and for others to help publicise the option of formally leaving on blogs, discussion boards, Social networking sites etc.
David B
December 2nd, 2009 at 4:48 pm
I would never leave the church.The church did no wrong,the prist, biships and popes over the years did.They should all be charged and JAILED for LIFE.Not one of them is fit for anything.I’m sure God will judge them-sufer not the little childern-.
December 25th, 2009 at 6:51 am
its high time the pope brings back the tradition . kick out the modernist and the liberals. this guys are Freemason the church. so the church cannot be blamed the one who holds rank should be crucified . The church should pay compensation for this abuse its like paying the prostitutes for their service what a joke . this Bastards who abuse the roman catholic faith can join the other denomination or form their own churches . it where they belong or join the gay church. this bastards have no place in the Roman catholic church. its high time the pope does this rubbish recycling .we have collocated enough of Rubbish in Vatican two . The Roman catholic church is being high jacked in Europe don’t try in Asia only Death sentence like china.
knights templar( Benedictine Oblate)
February 16th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
Why blame the Church for acts of certain bad eggs within It? Amongst every 12 there is always a Judas. The Priests who happen to be of the Roman Catholic Persuasion committed these crimes and certain Terrible bishops aided and abetted the covering up of these crimes, pedophilia is not condoned in the Catholic Church and besides, these so called priests where not forced into the priesthood, they made an informed choice to join the priesthood for their own devious purposes and as such should be Prosecuted and Punished for all their crimes.