Bruce Arnold Irish Independent 20th March 2010
The silence of our politicians is as shameful as Cardinal Brady professes himself to be. They have had nothing whatever to say about their part in the abuse of children and their responsibility for the inadequacies in the law, or for the failure of the law to be implemented. This has happened time and time again, and has been referred to, time and time again, without lifting the pall of silence in which politicians look the other way. We have been lectured by the media on the punishment of abuse and questioned over what to do about the criminal concealment of abuse by senior clerics. Yet, with a few commendable exceptions, both personal and party, the politicians have generally subscribed to that ultimate piece of hypocrisy – Hear no Evil, Speak no Evil, See no Evil.
Not even the extraordinary oppression of the oath imposed by Cardinal Brady on the two children abused by Father Brendan Smyth has brought forth any reasoned and logical response raising questions about the legality, the constitutional propriety, the respect for family in what he did.
To his credit, Fergus Finlay, now head of Barnardo’s but formerly a political adviser, pointed out that this single act by Brady was itself a serious abuse of the children. The same abuse was imposed on tens of thousands of victims in the industrial schools, in other institutions and within the Irish Catholic dioceses. On its own it is a sufficient disgrace to require the Cardinal’s resignation.
He pleaded what so many others have pleaded, that things were different then. They were not. They were the same. The Church was the same. The politicians were the same. And the shameful relationship between the two was the same. Mostly, it was a nod-and-wink relationship, but there was one significant exception occurring at the time when Cardinal Brady was imposing that terrible oath on the two children.
The occasion is worth recalling for its hypocrisy and for the jelly-like substance to which politicians were reduced by the Church-dominated circumstances. The occasion of the Father Brendan Smith investigation, in 1975, coincided with the public outcome of a 1973 Supreme Court judgement. This was the McGee case finding that the State had no right to intervene in marital privacy, including the question of a couple’s right to choose artificial means of contraception.
The practical result of this was to allow the unrestricted importation into the State of contraceptives. The Church was opposed to artificial contraception in any form. The State, in compliance with the Court judgement, brought in legislation allowing for the controlled importation of contraceptives. It was a Government Bill. Fianna Fail voted against it. It would still have passed but the Head of Government, Liam Cosgrave, a devout Catholic, and his Minister for Education, Richard Burke, together with two backbenchers, Oliver Flanagan and Tom Enright, voted against on the Second Stage and the Bill was withdrawn. All four did so believing that this would hold things up and please the Catholic Church. It had the opposite effect, of making legal the unrestricted access by everyone to contraceptives, the Church remaining displeased.
They probably also believed that the ‘Lugs’ Brannigan approach to the law would stop people getting hold of condoms. As an expression of political knuckling under to the Church it beggared belief to see a Taoiseach and a senior Cabinet Minister voting against a Government Bill.
Garret FitzGerald was part of that Government. In his continuing capacity as a commentator on political life he has been uniquely placed ever since to enlighten us about the so-called ‘climate’ of political deference to Canon Law which has been so pernicious a corruption of political will. He is enough of a theologian to be more than capable of doing this. Yet in the only piece he has written on the subject of the Irish Bishops in the last year, he saw fit to refer only to them getting their own house in order and not to the huge and growing problem of State tolerance of criminal corruption within the Church.
Very few other politicians have dealt with this problem. Garret FitzGerald’s former party has seen fit to miss out on this large and complex question in its programme for reform, a programme that has been deservedly and comprehensively rejected by Young Fine Gael. Alan Shatter is arguably the only politician in the Dail who could put together a legislative reform programme and lead it when in power, but this was not included in the largely fatuous Enda Kenny-led reform proposals.
The Labour Party has individual members concerned about these issues. Commendably it put forward a small but important piece of legislation designed to exonerate all those who had been committed by the courts to the industrial schools from the taint of criminality. The Government turned this Bill down; instead of it, Dermot Ahern instituted a system of individual ‘pardons’ to anyone worried by this taint who applied to him. He did not make public this process and few applied for it, a fact that will no doubt be used to contradict those who express concern about this element of guilt and distress with which elderly victims of the industrial school system have had to contend throughout their lives.
Anyone who, without the presence of their parents or guardians or legal witnesses of what they are doing, makes children sign a document saying “I will never directly or indirectly, by means of a nod, or of a word, by writing, or in any other way, and under whatever type of pretext, for the most urgent and most serious cause, even for the purpose of a greater good, commit anything against this fidelity to the secret, unless a dispensation has been expressly given to me by the Supreme Pontiff” commits a grave abuse of their constitutional rights, the legal proprieties under which a ‘document of threat’ is enacted, and over their juvenile, unformed understandings. For this alone, Sean Brady should resign.
The Pope’s Letter to the Irish Faithful, this weekend, will not remove the fact of Roman Catholic Canon Law remaining part of State laws. And the politicians will continue to look the other way.
In family courts today all over the world, protective parents are told not to mention abuse of their children by the other partner to the judge???????????
http://www.smh.com.au/national/cries-of-child-abuse-bounce-back-on-mums-20100327-r49d.html
If you do, you will not see your child until he/she is 18. You, the protective parent will be labelled crazy by specially appointed psychiatrists in order to keep you from protecting your own child.
Apparently, the judges are sick to fu**ing death of hearing about child abuse.
So, how is the family law courts different to the Roman Catholic Church?
It is exactly the same- secret kangaroo courts where laws are not adhered to because who is to know.?
Yes, the papers will tell us Carol Coulter reports from inside the secret courts, but cases are selected for her. Word on the street is “she is far up the judges ar**s anyway, that you cannot believe a word of what she writes.
If we look at all the abuse cases in the media, we see that HSE/SS knew about these abuses for years and did nothing. Documented it all- like some Dr Mengele using children in trauma experiments.
The entire patriarchal system has to go and go now and make room for the new system of love and abundance, moneyless society- like we Ayrish once had.
Tara is the SEAT OF LOVE.
Newgrange housed the God of Love.
So, why are these sites being destroyed?
The answer is crystal clear.
We the people choose to live in peace and harmony, where children are loved from the moment of creation. Yes, WE ARE THE CREATORS OF OUR CHILDREN.
So, who gave the boys in frocks and the boys in wigs the divine right to play God/Godess.
Exactly.!
As far as I can see the Government agencies are all controlled from the Vatican.
Opus Dei runs the Judicial system.
Catholic cult runs the HSE and allows abusers free and punishes the victims- it is unbelievable what the social workers, psychos and other so called professionals do to abused children to keep it hidden.
They make me puke….
Just like the men in black frocks the social workers, judges, lawliars, barristers all dance to the tune of the Catholic cult.
We all knew growing up of the TD’s and priests going into “care homes” and choosing any child they wanted for as long as they wanted.
Sure that is what kept us on the outside in fear of them.
Remember- every child placed in the “care” of the Catholic church “homes” was RUBBER-STAMPED INTO IT BY A JUDGE.
I was even threatened by the HSE once, that the judges OBEY THE HSE and judges do as they are ordered.
FROM WHOM IS THE TOP ORDER COMING FROM??
God……..nope,never heard him/her say any child was to be abused for being born of womb man.
Does anyone have any links to media reports of the march? There is the one Irish Times article by Fiona Gartland but that’s all I’ve found so far.
If anyone has any can they post them here;
http://babyshoesremember.proboards.com
I hope the trip to town was worth it. I’m now used to being tossed around by elements purporting to represent ‘survivors’ of child abuse. At this stage, I try not to let it get to me. The “Hundreds” that were to turn out for the march never materialised. That writing was on the wall from all the emails I was getting about the march. The very best of people who would have been an asset to it and to what I shall refer to as “the cause” were simply put off going near it while others who wanted to go just “couldn’t figure out what it was all about”. Paddy.
Wednesday 24th – 10:30
Paddy.
I’m heading into town now, to the Pro-Cathedral. I’m going there with the same original intentions – namely to lend support the the Victims, and to protest this way of life we have in here, you know what I mean.
But I will also being saying that you are my friend and that I have witnessed first-hand what YOU represent for so many people – the humble, ordinary Joe and Jane Soap in the street, as well as in the higher echelons. There are few people around with your Presence, Recognition, Charisma and Ability, not to mention your huge Experience plus this platform which you have made available to all, and at times like now, we could all do with a Credible Ambassador – who incidentally stands well for the Decent Irish Family too – and I will stay behind you and help in any way I can.
One for All
All for One
Raymond
They are not only Silent they are Deaf and Blind to. Though not physically. Well at least to Evil. not Wise Monkeys but actually dumb apes. that’s Roman snakes for you.
Censoring is necessary where abuse of a website and the webmaster is used. I presume that’s clear Barry. The last time I was abused like you’ve abused me I was in an INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL. Paddy
Christy, raymond, what passionate and powerful your words are. I’m so glad there is still alot of us with some energy left to fight on.
Raymond we shall see you at the march! We must all try and get there no matter what our differences are!
Paddy, you know Barry has always spoke highly of you. I hope the two of you can work this out??? I also hope you help in any way you can with the march as it is for abuse afterall!..
The media listen to you paddy. And god love Barry he’s trying his best as you do.
Welll done Barry, I’ve done the same, you do need to be seen for the abusive nature that lurks under those pseudo literary commentss that are too offensive to post. Offensive to me and offensive to people who, God help them, have put such faith in you. Paddy
Bruce Arnold and Mary Raftery have been key-speakers and instruments in bringing this baby to full term, yet it is the most painful and frustrating process to watch: Birth in these conditions will NOT be possible; even other procedures cannot succeed. But this baby is in there, hanging in, very alive and still growing: it looks now as if ONLY ERUPTION and EXPLOSION will do. All attempts to interrupt this process will fail. At worst – and this may be the only scenario – Dear Baby will consume its womb. Poison is not the right word here, as the TOXIC FOE is the OUTSIDE. Baby will win, because Life wants to Live. In BALANCE and HARMONY, which demands NURTURE and JUSTICE.
Over the last year, we have seen the slow shift of naming / shaming / and assigning responsibility for the Horrors of Abuse in Ireland, in the following order, to:
The Institutions first.
The Catholic Church and the Irish State (in tandem), ie The Irish Gulag.
The Bishops.
The Catholic Church again – on Her own this time.
The Pope himself eventually.
And now, the State again, namely the Politicians.
Unfortunately, the POINT IS BEING MISSED AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN, NOW – as we run out of options – just as THEN, a year ago. But of course it started long before that.
WE – as a society – are to be blamed. WE have repeatedly elected our politicians, and are still doing so. WE are still going to our Churches. WE are still presiding over Laws and Constitutions where – in THE FAMILY – we have absolute power, to maim and abuse our Children, to discipline them, hit them when we see fit. Why else are Abusers, Molesters, Rapists, Women-and-Children-Beaters, “Incestors”, all getting away with their crimes or getting ridiculous sentences – even when the Crimes are being perpetrated WITHIN THE SYSTEM? Under the gaze of the HSE, our Social Workers, our Judges, Gardai and Parole Officers, the Counsellors and Therapists, Medical Doctors and Psych/iatrists/ologists, as well as Mum and Dad, Brothers and Sisters, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins, in- and out- laws……. And all the time, the Victims are SCREAMING their PAIN and ANGUISH.
How can you forgive, when NO-ONE IS S..O..R..R..Y….!
As a society, WE the IRISH ELECTORATE, WE the VOTERS, WE the PEOPLE of IRELAND, have the POWER to DEMAND CHANGE and to MAKE IT HAPPEN. It is OUR DUTY.
Please don’t say that things have changed; that much work is being done; and that there are plenty of good people out there. This of course, goes without saying. So let’s not console ourselves and pacify our conscience with kindness, comfort and platitudes, because EVERY WORD WE SAY – EVERY ACT WE DO – ABOUT EVERYTHING – MUST BE QUALIFIED WITH…… ” YES BUT…..”
“YES BUT WE ABUSE OUR CHILDREN…..AND WE SEEM TO SUPPORT THE ABUSERS…FOR OUR CHILDREN HAVE “NO” RIGHTS”.
There have been
Revolutions with Cake and Guillotines.
PINK and ORANGE Revolutions.
Blood-less and SILENT Revolutions.
HOW IS THIS ONE TO BE….?
Each one of us is to be blamed, EXCEPT for the Victims, the Children, and the Young – say, under forty, as WE have to take responsibility for them too. Brain-washing runs very deep indeed.
This in NO WAY EXCUSES, EXONERATES or MITIGATES the abuse and THE ABUSERS, but it EXPLAINS WHY WE ARE IN SUCH A MESS TODAY.
FINANCIALLY.
And MORALLY.
BANKRUPT.
The Irish are the MOST CREATIVE of people. But in many cases, this Creativity masks a much darker reality, which goes on being ignored as we continue to praise the art work. Take your pick, it’s all around us. For me, there is NO BETTER EXAMPLE of this, than the current exhibition of FRANCIS BACON at Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin. Every single painting SCREAMS of PAIN, VIOLENCE and ABUSE. The visual impact is STAGGERING. There, is a man who was MERCILESSLY BEATEN, KICKED, PUNCHED and SEXUALLY ABUSED as a child. Who as an ADULT immersed himself in the same climate of abusive relationships. All this is very well documented, archived, on record and on display. The last few months have been of veritable FEAST of brilliant Lectures, Exposes and Theories by world experts on Francis Bacon. His work sells for celestial, astronomical sums – even as he was alive. He is acknowledged as being one of the GREATEST ARTIST of the twentieth century. Every specialist has a particular “Angle” on Bacon. Everybody is aware of the circumstances of his childhood. In fact there are a FULL ….. 27 …. PAGES …..! dedicated to his childhood – where the abuse is detailed – AMONGST THE …. OCEANS …. of INK POURED ABOUT HIM.
But nobody wants to talk about the abuse, HIS ABUSE. Nobody wants to see it as THEE REASON for his style of painting. Nobody wants to hear that HE IS SCREAMING HIS PAIN TO THE WORLD – a world which refuses to understand and CONDEMN. We choose to dance and prance on Bloom’s Days, thus distracting ourselves (actually ignoring and SUPPRESSING the TRUTH and Reality) from what REALLY happened in Joyce’s early life, CONDEMNING it and STOPPING IT, ONCE AND FOR ALL.
And there you have it:
When we don’t ACCUSE and CONDEMN – UNEQUIVOCALLY and UNCONDITIONALLY, we then CONDONE. COLLUDE. TOLERATE. “WE” become part of the problem. WE ARE ALL VICTIMS TOO. And we actually become the REASON why the problem STILL EXISTS.
Q.E.D.
So the march on Wednesday, ANY march and ANY form of protest, is not only about supporting the cause of the Victims (Abused, Non-Catholics, “Child Prisoners”) – I should hope THIS GOES WITHOUT SAYING TOO – it’s about saying…. ENOUGH of this NAUSEATING, DISGUSTING, AMORAL WAY of BEING. FUCK THIS “CRAIC” LARK ……. I AM NOT LIKE THIS. I DON’T want this for MY CHILDREN. AND EVERY OTHER CHILD.
In Cambodia, there are notices EVERYWHERE in BIG and BOLD RED LETTERS:
CHILD ABUSE IS A CRIME
WHICH IT IS YOUR DUTY TO REPORT
IF YOU SEE OR SUSPECT IT.
PHONE THIS NUMBER.
One for All
All for One
Raymond Lambert
raymondlambert@eircom.net
Paddy,
Sorry about the length of the last posting but it needed to be said!
Christy
R Barry on March 20th, 2010 22:43
I would agree with 90% of your posting about politicians blowing in the wind, I don’t know about the other people that you mention but I can say this Mary Mcaleese’s was the biggest blow, here are a few quotes from her speech to survivors on 28 June 2009 in The Phoenix Park.
“There are moments in a life when words simply fail as a means of expression. No amount of them, no matter how heartfelt, can seem adequate to the moment. The publication of the Ryan Report was one such moment in the life of this nation.”
What has she done since? Zilch! That’s what. Fine words don’t make for fine deeds.
“The invitation to Aras an Uachtaráin today is an expression of the massive public wish to let you know how deeply your stories have struck a chord. For so long your suffering seemed to make strangers of you in your own land”
Irish children were still being abused in Catholic Institutions as she spoke! Did we see massive public demonstrations or fine words of public support for survivors, no, we did not!
“Today, we simply seek to be family to each other, to assert our common care for one another and to acknowledge that what was done to those of you who are survivors of abuse in institutional care, not only damaged your precious lives but diminished our society.”
What did she do about the diminished society? She was guest of honour at the Annual Meeting of CORI!
“Those who switched off the light of love and hope in your lives, plunged our country into a terrible darkness. I know that one day in the Phoenix Park cannot hope to restore to your lives all the things that were taken from you.”
Are there any of these religious/clergy having their lights turned off at 9pm in the prisons of Ireland?
“There is no magic potion to put right the things that were made so deliberately to go wrong”
Certainly the politically motivated apology from Bertie Ahern and the average 65,000 Euro pay out from the Redress Board was most definitely not a magic potion. Was this deliberately contrived as well?
“Your experiences are monuments to our failure to cherish our children.”
Why did she attend the Annual Conference of one of the worst perpertrators of Child Abuse? i.e. The Sisters of Charity as described in the Ryan Report .
“to be that Republic where children are cherished equally not just in lofty words but in everyday deeds.”
What has she done to make this happen? Nay, what has she said?
“I offer every one here and all those whose little lives were robbed of the joys of childhood our heartfelt sorrow.”
Did you mean “Mental Reparation” because your Prime Minister wants to keep the further substantial redress for The State and not give as promised to survivors? And it would seem that we are being robbed again by The Church and The State.
“Today thanks to the courage of the children who were abused and grew into an adulthood from which they took a stand against abuse, the veils of silence, authority, deference, pretence, power, powerlessness, and impunity are pulled aside and we see what so many tried to ensure we would never see. It has all been at such a dreadful cost to the abused, their childhoods lost, their families scattered, their adult lives and relationships so often deeply affected by their early suffering.”
Fine words, total inaction!
“you have created a force that will in time bring much good to Ireland’s children for you challenge our society to hold to account all those who engrave on their innocent and dependant little lives.”
How much time is it going to protect the Children of Ireland from such heinous abuse in the future? We as survivors haven’t got time on our side, so when are you going to bring the Child Rapists to account?
“I wish we could have had those many thousands here but I thank the survivor organisations who nominated their guests for today for their help in making this day possible.”
Did you know that most if not all of the Groupie Leaders were lining their own pockets with Irish Taxpayers money and contributions from survivors?
“I hope you will feel that the road ahead, while still daunting, has been shortened for each of you in a special way and that where once you were on your own, you now have company that cares.”
Where is the care now? Cowen wants the religious dosh for The State and The Groupie Leaders have clandestine meetings with the very perpertrators and protectors of the horrible crimes of Child Abuse! The Road gets longer and longer for survivors. Is this a deliberately contrived act by The Church/State? Me thinks so!
Yes, R Barry it is my opinion that they are all Blowing in the Wind!! The politicians can’t, including Mary Mcaleese, do anything about Child Abuse. The Catholic Church doesn’t want to do anything about it; apart from protecting the one thing they give a shit about their assets.
Christy
Barry. If those people who so look up to you saw how abusive you were to me and to others mentioned in your post which of course is not going up on my website, then I suspect very strongly the numbers attending YOUR MARCH would diminish at such a rate that you would be walking to the Dail from the Pro Cathedral on your own. If there is anyone that wants to see Mr. Clifford’s message, please contact me and I will consider sending it to you as an email.
It’s always been a worry of mine and I know it’s been a worry of yours Barry that “THE ABUSED WOULD BECOME THE ABUSERS”.
I’m now passing your message to my solicitors and I’m aware of others that are taking similar action.
To your credit, you’ve a hard neck expecting that I would publish a downright abusive article on my website. It’s now clear that you need a website of your own. Paddy.
The silence is deafening!
Surely the reaction of politicians must be to discuss emergency powers and emergency legislation to bring this bunch to heel?
Senior Irish politicians only seem to blow in the wind with some notable exceptions, Mary O’Rourke, Pat Rabitte, Mary Mcaleese, just a few.
Come on Biffo, get your arse off the barstool and rise up to the altar of responsibility, do something for your country ad citizens you represent, well not then if you prefer, will any of you?
Or will Anglea Merkel have to do your thinking for you?
Paddy,
Brian Cowen is certainly no Imperial Commander unlike the Cheltenham Winner, Cowen seems to have abdicated the responsibility for ensuring that the Irish People get the Justice they deserve for the Institutionally and clerically abused. It would certainly seem that Cowen deserves the title of Impervious Commander. Impervious to the plight of the Institutionally Abused, Impervious to the plight of the victims of sexual abuse in every dioceses in Ireland, the only people that seem to have the ear of Cowen are the Catholic Church and The Groupie Leaders of the so called Survivors Groups. If the Irish People have the will to protect the children of the State then they must rid themselves and the country of this poor excuse of a Nations Leader. This guy has not got over the first fence of the Catholic Clerical Sexual Scandal enveloping Ireland. Don’t forget that this is the man who said that the sexual abuse of Irish Children was the business of the Catholic Church.
I have just invited all the politicians to:
Support the victims of Irish abuse from 1940s in state schools
By joining this site on Facebook!
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/29812…
We will see what the Irish Politicians think by their actions?
Lets see if we can get this Facebook page into a petition of members?
Hi Paddy,
This letter from the Micro Manager Ratzinger has nothing for survivors. It is aimed at the Faithful Group Leaders, Politicians, and Government Ministers. Brian Cowen, Bertie Ahern and the Brain Dead Followers of these Mid Eastern Sect of Paedophile Child Rapists and remember this nobody can spin like the Vati Can.
Come on Bruce Baby, you know that all Irish Politicians go away to the lap of luxury in the sun at this time of year. Cowens in Washington and the rest of the Irish Political Mob are in far flung places of luxury around the world while the moral fibre of the country goes down the pan. It’s cold in Ireland at this time of year much better to be in Dubai or Sentosa Island or lapping up the delights of Down Town Bangkok.
When will survivors get it into their heads that no politician wants to associate themselves with survivors of Irish Catholic Church Institutional Sexual Abuse of children. They have just like the church their well-paid Groupie, Group Leaders to do all of the dirty work for them. It is a fact that of all of the politicians of the Catholic World, the Irish ones are lame, tame and have no shame; they continue to keep silent on the issue of Sexual Rape of Irish Children by members of the Catholic Clergy and Religious Orders.
When the ruling class in Ireland go to Arnotts and buy themselves a conscience, it’s no good the working class saying anything about their kids being sexually abused by Priests or the Religious, the abusers would only make them sign the Brady Oath of Silence. It is no longer of any benefit to survivors to write long diatribes on the subject of abuse, we need action; legal action will be the only way forward for survivors.
We have had four major reports consisting of millions of words no one can disagree with any of these reports, so why has the collective political voice remained silent, vested interest and no conscience and money, that’s why. If we do not act legally the only thing we will get is the Good Old Catholic Mental Reparation not COMPENSATION.
Question, What can the Health Professionals of any third world country teach the Health Minister of Ireland? Answer: Don’t lie on the sun lounger for too long and use Factor 30 Sun Block.
P.S. To all survivors of abuse of any kind you have my personal invitation to come on The March on 24th March, the only thing that I ask is that whatever you do it is legal and non violent. See you all on 24th March.
No surprise to me as politicians are the puppets of the Roman Catholic Church.
Hi paddy ,
I do hope you post this paddy as I feel it’s necessary to express myself.
Emer, to suggest Barry was grumpy wether in jest or not is insulting. Barry Clifford is working so hard for real justice for survivors and has dedicated so much it’s unbeleivable!
Today we feel sad because of the apparent discord between two fine men who helped the likes of my mother and I. I also feel sad that paddy could not have been more supportive towards Barry’s march for justice arrangements!
I respect both men, but as Barry put it, division together is better than division appart?!!?…
I hope everyone turns up for this march
Anne.
Hey
Barry, you in bad form tonight, what was all that posting about, just flicked through it quickly, but saw you were grumpy