By John Cooney
Monday March 15 2010
CARDINAL Sean Brady did not tell Pope Benedict he is facing imminent legal proceedings over his role in covering up the biggest clerical sex abuse scandal in the State.
Despite two days of intense talks between the pontiff and the Irish Catholic hierarchy in Rome last month, the Irish Independent has learned that Vatican officials were not told about the pending High Court proceedings.
Cardinal Brady is being sued in his personal capacity — as well as in his role as Catholic Primate of All Ireland — by a woman who was raped by notorious paedophile priest Brendan Smyth over five years.
She was forced to swear an oath that she would not discuss meetings she had with clergy, including the then Fr Sean Brady, about her allegations that she was brutally assaulted by Smyth.
This emerged as Cardinal Brady strongly rejected calls for his resignation last night over disclosures he failed to report the complaints to gardai.
Smyth was at the centre of one of the first paedophile priest scandals to rock the Catholic Church and was convicted of molesting about 90 boys and girls here and in the North over a 40-year period.
The controversy surrounding the case sparked the collapse of the Fianna Fail-Labour coalition government under Taoiseach Albert Reynolds when it emerged there were serious delays in Smyth’s extradition to the North in 1994.
Asked if cardinal Brady had spoken with the Pope about the impending proceedings, his spokesman said last night that there were no specifics discussed.
“The discussions with Pope Benedict and nine curial cardinals were of a general nature,” the spokesman added.
Cardinal Brady last night admitted he was at a meeting where children abused by Smyth were forced to take a vow of silence.
The Irish Independent attempted to contact all 23 bishops yesterday, but there was no reply.
The 70-year-old cardinal faced down calls from prominent abuse victims Colm O’Gorman and Andrew Madden, as well as victims’ advocate Maeve Lewis, to step down. They accused Cardinal Brady of reckless endangerment.
Speaking in Co Armagh, a visibly shaken Cardinal Brady defended his role in the 1975 investigation, stating his actions were part of a process that removed the cleric’s licence to hear confessions because he was a danger to children.
“Frankly I don’t believe that this is a resigning matter,” said Cardinal Brady. “I insist again I did act and acted effectively in that inquiry to produce the grounds for removing Fr Smyth from ministry.”
But Smyth was largely shielded from this sanction by the Abbot of Kilnacrott and continued to molest children in Belfast and in American dioceses until he was finally jailed in the mid-1990s and died behind bars.
Just three months ago, the cardinal stated he would resign if he felt his failure to act had allowed children to be abused.
The cardinal said he was not the designated person to report Smyth to authorities back in the 1970s.
Colm O’Gorman, who founded support group One in Four, said the cardinal was deeply personally implicated in the gross failures of the Catholic Church in the management of Smyth and stressed he must resign.
“They carried out an investigation, they interviewed the child victims of this priestly rapist, Sean Brady determined in his own mind that these children were telling the truth and he then simply passed the information up the line and did nothing,” said Mr O’Gorman.
“For another 18 years, as Sean Brady rose through the ranks in the Catholic Church hierarchy, Brendan Smyth continued to rape and abuse children.”
However, it has emerged that 35 years ago Cardinal Brady — then a part-time secretary to the then Bishop of Kilmore, the late Bishop Francis McKiernan — took notes during two meetings with children whom he believed had been abused by Smyth.
The complainants then signed undertakings, on oath, to respect the confidentiality of the information-gathering process.
The cardinal denied he was involved in any kind of cover-up.
“I brought what I heard to the bishop, who proceeded to act,” said a visibly shaken cardinal.
INTERVIEWED
The woman in the case maintains Cardinal Brady was one of three priests who interviewed her as a teenager and failed to ensure it was reported to the civil authorities.
It is understood an affidavit submitted to Dublin’s High Court accuses the country’s most senior cleric of failing to report the formal signed complaints to gardai and of failing to take any adequate steps to ensure Smyth did not continue to perpetrate sexual assaults.
The other clergy named in court papers are Fr Gerard Cusack, as head of the Norbertine Order of which Smyth was a member, and Bishop Leo O’Reilly of Lismore diocese, as head of the diocese.
Neither men were involved directly with the young woman and are not being sued in a personal capacity.
Cardinal Brady is unlikely to face criminal prosecution over the alleged cover-up.
PADDY
FUTHER SUBSTANTIAL COMPENSATION
FOR SURVIVORS OF INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL ABUSE WAS THE CLARION CALL OF THE TAOISEACH ON THE 11 OF JUNE 2009 IN THE DAIL,9 MONTHS, AND 5 DEADLINES LATER HAVE PASSED, AND NOTHING HAS HAPPENED NOTHING WILL, LOTS OF YAP AND MORE YAP WHAT EVER COWEN GETS FROM HIS PALS IN CORI THE STATE WILL KEEP, BUT THEY WILL KEEP THE BELLOWS OF CLONMEL IN THE LUXURY HE AND THE REST OF THE CHURCH /STATE GROUPIES HAVE BECOME A CUSTOM TO.
CHRISTY
Will do. Hugs back! Paddy
Paddy,
Its a real intrigue as to why these developers would join the Vatican band wagon, I’d say some of them would look at a church purely as a future building site or parking spot for plant equipment. ( I have me own plans) Could they be in need of Vatican diplomatic passports?. As you know Ireland’s, 1m a passport scheme is out of action at the moment thanks to the Albert and a foreign passport could be a great NAMA and Irish-EU tax dodge right now. (Oh Jesus should I shut me gob again) Could it be they need to chip in something to get on trust boards for religious order trust panels. One thing is for sure, they didn’t do it for charity, and certainly not the Sean (the cursing) mulryan, his tea bags hang on a drying line.
Still, history shows how the business and the Vatican tend to find a cosy spot together just like in Spain in the 30’s, but they should have gone a little deeper with the digger and they would not have the little problem they have now. It takes an Irish life to know how this works.
Top cash ‘presents’ for fixing up old Vatican out buildings, pull the other one! Sure if they wanted to fix up something nice, there are 10001 fine better building in Rome in need of a doing up let alone Ireland.
OK Lets not ask the big six tax consultants in Dublin who ‘signed off’ on this.
But I’d bet a good business journalist would not have to scrape too deep to lift the lid off this one.
List of Opus Personalities in Business..Notice the Irish Ones and lets not forget the 13 other banking chains in Spain doing business for the Vatican. But these ones below are just kittens, Word has it that real planning is done from certain Mediterranean island co managing Vatican (your) funds,
Business
Luis Valls – From 1972-2004, he was President of Banco Popular, the third biggest bank in Spain. A numery.[42]
Eduardo Guilisasti – Chief Executive Officer of Concha y Toro Winery, known as Chile’s foremost winery. [7]. He told Bloomberg.com that he is a numerary member.[12]
Jacques de Chateauvieux – President of Bourbon, a company engaged in international marine services.[43]
Neil Dean was Chief Financial Officer of Allied Irish Banks, the largest Bank in Ireland, until 1997 and is a super numerary member.[25]
José María Ruiz Mateos, a prominent Spanish businessman involved in the infamous RUMASA scandal, was a supernumerary member of Opus Dei from 1963 until his expulsion in 1986.[44]
Maurice O’Grady was Chief Executive of the Irish Management Institute, and is a supernumerary.[25]
PADDY
A LITTLE TIT BIT FORM THE STALL HOLDER, YESTERDAY THE TAOISEACH, IN THE USA SAID,
‘THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS IT’S OWN ISSUES TO DEAL WITH…HE WAS JUST ANXIOUS TO ENSURE THAT THE STATE DISCHARGES IT’S RESPONSIBILITIES IN THIS ERA, AND THERE WAS ON AMBIGUITY ON THE GOVERNMENTS PART ABOUT THE NEED TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM SEX ABUSE
WHEN OH WHEN OH WHEN, FULL OF SHIT THE LOT OF THEM
SORRY PADDY
CHRISTY
Paddy
ON THE SAME SUBJECT, BRADY, THE TAOISTACH BRIAN COWEN SAID IN THE USA YESTERDAY,
‘HE WAS NOT AU FAIT WITH THE PARTICULAR ISSUES THAT ARE ARISING NOW ‘WERE DO THEY GET
PEOPLE LIKE THIS TO LEAD A COUNTRY,
AND BY THE WAY THIS IS FROM A MAN THAT WAS CONTENT TO LEAVE THE MATTERS IN THE RYAN REPORT TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH,AND THIS THE SAME MAN WHO HAS GIVEN CORI 5 DEADLINES TO COME UP WITH THE EXTRA REDRESS FOR SURVIVORS
A STALL IN MOORE ST WOULD BE TO MUCH, TAOISTEACH MY ARSE.
CHRISTY
Paddy
I see the NUREMBERG SYNDROME has cropped up yet again,Yesterday bishop LEO O’REILLY in defiance of CARDINAL BRADY, Said on northern sound radio, ‘I Don’t think that it is fair to Leave the responsibility at one door and certainly at someone who was essentially a junior official doing what was not much more than a secretarial JOB, On that basis I don’t think HE should resign’ he told the station
THEY GOT HANGED AT NUREMBERG FOR LESS AND RIGHTLY SO.
Christy
The Oath of Secrecy is quite chilling:
“” I will never directly or indirectly, by gesture, word, writing or in any other way, and under any pretext, even that of a greater good or of a highly urgent and serious reason, do anything against this fidelity to secrecy, unless special permission or dispensation is expressly granted to me by the Supreme Pontiff.””
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c135/theknitter/TheOathOfSecrecy.jpg
HANORA
Thank you for the information regarding the LAWYER to act for us,And very true about the TRAITORS A LOT OF THEM ABOUT I like a lot of other survivors followed blindly for years but no more.
Christy
Barry
MONEY is there true God take some of it from them to pay proper compensation to survivors
and that will hurt more than all the bad press, remember NOBODY SPINS LIKE THE VATI CAN.
Christy
I always knew that there was a far too cosy relationship between the ‘elite’ in Ireland and the Catholic Church.
Its extraordinary how some of the greatest villains in modern-day Ireland pop up as Knights of Catholic Orders of one kind or another.
The oaths these people take, just like the vows taken by priests, indicate that their loyalty lies outside the state to a foreign temporal power (the Holy See). You can see the madness when you think of Dooley’s radio appearance yesterday where he spoke of Canon Law as if it overrides the law of the state.
You are looking fair and square at something which in other countries would be called ‘subversion’.
I think any Irish Civil Servant who cannot outline where their loyalties lie in their duties should not be kept on in the civil service.
Its this bizarre blend of cult-rules which gives rise to the idea that catholic clergy are above the law of the land that needs to be jumped on hard and fast by the state and if that means jailing a cardinal so be it.
Did you know Bertie Ahern is a member of a Catholic religious order? And Ahern wouldn’t be involved in anything that would cost him money for no return.
Paddy, timing spells timeing?. Please correct. Big hug Charles.
And so it goes on and we witness history in the making. “Making history” is what Irish survivors are now doing as Europe yet again turns its eyes to Ireland. All those years of struggle against what is now known to be the vilest of the vile. No longer content to be commentators to their own fate the Irish make history and form the future. In Dublin on the 24th of March a demonstration will take place and yet again the Irish survivors will carry the banner of truth as they have done these long lonely years, but this time they carry the fate of the future not just for Ireland but Europe. It is difficult to imagine a better timing for such a manifestation. It will give echo around the world.
What is or was the MENTAL STATUS of a THIRTY FIVE YEAR OLD MAN who gets ,persuades, or otherwise coerce`s a TEN YEAR OLD CHILD to sign an OATH OF SECRECY.???
And what PRESENTLY is the MENTAL STATUS of a SEVENTY YEAR OLD MAN who states that it was his bishop who instructed him to do so.? AND PRESENTLY DEFENDS SUCH AN ACT OF INSANITY.?
It would appear that GRANGEGORMAN is a far SAFER option than the PALACE IN ARMAGH.
And talking of CROOKS, these bishops have done a GRAND job of keeping the christian brothers and the nuns UNDER the radar for long enough now.
FURTHER SUBSTANTIAL REDRESS, was the clarion call from the TAOISEACH following publication of the RYAN REPORT last year. NINE months have passed, very little, if ANYTHING of consequence has emerged. Plenty of yap, and “”meetings”” of a clandestine nature having occured in Maynooth with people who call themselves “group leaders”, but now seen as GROUPIES of the bishops, not to mention cardinals WHO ENABLED PAEDOPHILES TO CONTINUE TO ABUSE CHILDREN. Any “”group leader” courting such company has questions to answer. What was the GLOWING PRAISE heaped on Brady by the BELLOWS OF CLONMEL.? AKA, Michael O` Brien.
FURTHER SUBSTANTIAL REDRESS,to date the TAOISEACH has not clarified nor elaborated on his speech wherein WRONG was to be RIGHTED. The assets of the religious orders concerned must be quite substantial if it`s taking three auditors so long to produce a report.? Or has the “report” been produced and its the christian brothers looking for a few bob.?
An order of LIEN on EVERY property they own MAY JUST SPEED THEM UP.
And just EXACTLY what does FURTHER SUBSTANTIAL REDRESS mean.? Is this merely ANOTHER HONEYPOT for “group leaders” and their grubby sticky hands.? A TRUST, A DROP IN CENTRE, A CUPPA SOUP, OR MORE FIRST CLASS TRAVEL FOR THESE MUMPERS TO SPREAD THEIR LIES, DECEIT AND MISINFORMATION WHILE LINING THEIR OWN POCKETS ON THE BACKS OF SURVIVORS.?
FUTHER SUBSTANTIAL REDRESS.???? WAS Mc QUAID A CATHOLIC.?
NOW we know why Diarmuid Martin avoided the press conference in Rome following the great mitred one`s “historic” meeting with ratzo.
Diarmuid KNEW Brady was about to be exposed.
If ever the church in Ireland NEEDED Diarmuid Martin,it`s NOW. This honest broker has been sidelined by a BUNCH OF CROOKS.
I`ll only resign if the wholly father asks me to. Nice one Sean, as it`s looking increasingly like he`ll be gone before you.
And a click here http://www.secularism.org.uk/vatican-gets-huge-donations-from.html tells the whole story. And this from a good friend to support that link:
“Close to €9m was raised from donors for the restoration project. The donors were given special medallions after a private mass in the Pauline chapel, celebrated by Cardinal Lajolo last July. Solid gold ‘Michelangelo’ medallions were given to donors who had given more than $1m, with silver ‘Raphael’ medallions for donors of $500,000 plus. ‘Bramante’ medals were presented to donors of $250,000 or more. A marble plaque listing the names of all 26 donors, including the Irish builders and bankers, was unveiled in the chapel.”
Bankers and Vatican
Well, well, intriguing connection with irish bankers and vatican…what can it mean, such charity, cash cough ups and such stress on their business interests, could it be ‘hello’ money. After all the Vatican does have powerful banking connections itself, all that propety it has recently liquidated but it cannot be seen to be splashing the money around just willy nilly as though it were a public bank bailing out mangy irish developers, could it! No of course not for christs sake. And especially after those poor diosces officially went bust.
But just supposing it did have a few shilling to spare on the sly for pets and favourites, money lets say that should never be traced back to HQ or the little island in the med (especially liquidated properties in troubled times), now what could one do.
One could form a little alliance say with a specially local Order like for example the Opus Dei crew. But where, lets see, How about Spain, but why…cos its catholic of course and the authorities are mucho catolico, but how to invest it…oh try Bank of Navarra..well known favourite of Opus and pet to cetain industy. But what the hell would they invest it in?
Easy peasy, lots of stuff just dying for cash, good stuff, sure bets like nice long deals in aircraft manufactures (now lets not name names, could be embarrasing especially the militaty projects) with international state consortiums..Los Dos Hermanos..and pet subcontractors in holy places like Sevilla and Vitoria….but but but, wouldnt that be a little triky, I mean the basque territory in the north, surely people would object given what the vatican did in the civil war fingering all the non pro catholics for executions and all the mass graves being opened. Well they did plant a little surprise in the UNiversity of Navarra (pamplona) to emphasis the point.
Well boss, where is all this going, this stuff about selling off the assets quietly and burying it secretly in big industry shares…………well my conscience, the answer is this……..Vatican Inc is run like any other big business, Income and expenditure sheets, annual budgets and targets, staff performace assessments and of course product innovations. Profit and progress first, questions later.
BUt jeasus boss, what are the product innovations…well stupid little boy…thats when they look at themselves and how their customers perceive them and how they make their dreams (nighmares to us) look better.
Jaysus Tony, you’re a hard man. I presume in the event of the Pope suing me for putting this post on my website that I can say “I wasn’t the designated person to deal with the the matter”. He’d hardly take me to court and sue me for anything would he.
Have a look at this. http://www.secularism.org.uk/vatican-gets-huge-donations-from.html It seems the BANKERS YES BANKERS were very generous to the Vatican. Paddy.
In any normal society unperverted by a Middle Eastern cult this dog-collared wanker would be swinging from a lamppost.
I must remember that next time I’m planning to facilitate a major crime- ‘I wasn’t the designated person to deal with the authorities’.
I’m sure the courts and victims would be very understanding.