Seán Mac Diarmada
James Cononlly
Frank Hughes Died May 12th 1916 and 1981
Mise Éire:
Sine mé ná an Chailleach Bhéarra
Mise Éire:
Uaigní mé ná an Chailleach Bhéarra
Mór mo ghlóir:
Mé a rug Cú Chulainn cróga.
Mór mo náir:
Mo chlann féin a dhíol a máthair.
Mór mo bhrón:
D’éag an dream inar chuireas dóchas.
Mise Éire:
Sine mé ná an Chailleach Bhéarra
Mise Éire:
Uaigní mé ná an Chailleach Bhéarra
With many thanks to: Dermot Ryan – Federal Socialist Republic.
An Inspiration and a Higher Power to me
No words can Describe soldiers such as Bobby
and his 9 comrades…. A hero he lived a hero he died. Gael Fíor hÉireann
Dear Mum,
I know you’re always there
To help and guide me with all your care,
You nursed and fed me and made me strong
To face the world and all its wrong.
What can I write to you this day
For a line or two would never pay
For care and time you gave to me
Through long hard years unceasingly.
How you found strength I do not know
How you managed I’ll never know,
Struggling and striving without a break
Always there and never late.
You prayed for me and loved me more
How could I ask for anymore
And reared me up to be like you
But I haven’t a heart as kind as you.
A guide to me in times of plight
A princess like a star so bright
For life would never have been the same
If I hadn’t of learned what small things came.
So forgive me Mum just a little more
For not loving you so much before,
For life and love you gave to me
I give my thanks for eternity.
With many thanks to: Dermot Ryan.
In 62 pages it illustrates the true evil of clerical child sex abuse. Furthermore it depicts the Church, particularly in the Dublin Archdiocese during the 1980s, as conniving, uncaring, oppressive and deceitful organisation.
I was a priest, and a parish priest, in Dublin during that time and I served in different capacities under all three archbishops – Dermot Ryan, Kevin McNamara and Does Connell. For much of that period I was a member of the Council of Priests for the Archdiocese. In all that time I never once heard of, or discussed, the abuse of children by clerics. Now I learn that among those who once reported me for what I was writing in The Sunday World, was a convicted serial abuser of children. He was listened to by the authorities and needless to relate, I wasn’t. Chapter 20 is hard to read because it uncovers the deliberate and planned way that the Archbishops and their cohorts brought their power to bear to protect at least one abuser.
They knew that children were being abused in the Dublin Archdiocese and in a number of other countries, yet they didn’t care for those children or for the misery they’ve had to endure since. They were more interested in making sure the alleged good name of the Catholic Church was protected. To help them in their deceit, they sucked in to their web of dishonest intrigue anyone who could help maintain the status quo. They especially used their influence over what can only be described as misguided Gardai. The State and the Church combined to protect the abuser and to cause even more pain to the innocent victims. Furthermore when Brendan Smith was exposed, almost 10 years later in the 90s, some of these senior clerics used the excuse that they had no idea what a paedophile was. We now know that was a lie. Ten years earlier they knew the damage a peadophile priest could do; they already knew that even after treatment they would continue to distroy innocent children for their own sexual gratification; they knew from their experence that the sexual abuse of children is a heinous crime which needs to be exposed and the perpetrators thrown out of the priesthood. Yet these Archbishops supressed the truth. That much is clear from the conclusions of this chapter of the Murphy Report. Insurance had been taken out against the possibility of claims arising from the sexual abuse of children, yet little was done to protect the children themselves. As Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has wisely repeated: “The hurt done to a child through sexual abuse is horrific. Betrayal of trust is compounded by the theft of self-esteem. The horror can last a lifetime. … The Archdiocese of Dublin failed to recognise the theft of childhood which survivors endure and the diocese failed in its response to them….. For that no words of apology will ever be sufficient”. And the Archbishop, dispite the criticism he receives from others wihin the clerical church, is absolutely right when he says, “There are still those who would challenge the work of the Murphy Commission. What happened to children in the Church of Jesus Christ in the Archdiocese of Dublin must never be forgotten”. It is only fair to state that there are now many dedicated and trained child safeguarding volunteers throughout the country, including Dublin, who work tirelessly to ensure that children are as safe as possible in churches today.
I am more convinced than ever that there was collusion at the highest level of our church with what went on. There are lpeople in positions of power who have no right to be still in place in a church which respects basic morality. Personally I still trust Pope Francis. It’s the first time in a decade I’ve been able to say that about Vatican personnel. I hope he will promote decent leaders in our Church and that freedom to live the Gospel as Christ would want us, is restored to priests and laity alike. One simple extract from Chapter 20 of Murphy should be sufficient. It says that Archbishop Dermot Ryan “protected Fr McCabe, (as serial abuser) to an exextraordinary extent; it seemed that the welfare of children did not play any part in the Archbishop’s decisions”. Furthermore “the bishops decided to let him (Patrick McCabe) go to the USA. They ineeffect, set him loose on the unsuspecting population of Stockton, California. There is no record that they notified the Bishop of Stockton of his arrival”. It’s galling to think that I was once deluded by such deceitful leadership.
With many thanks to : Fr Brian D’Arcy, Sunday World.
Email address: father.Brian@sundayworld.com
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