By Claire O’Sullivan
FRIDAY, MARCH 04, 2011
NEW guidelines are to be issued to the country’s 26 dioceses and archdioceses outlining how to best handle sending priests on leave in the event of a clerical abuse allegation.
The head of the Church’s child protection board, Ian Elliott, outlined the draft guidance to the country’s bishops yesterday at their Spring meeting — the area is of particular sensitivity to priests who live in dread of false allegations and the subsequent potential damage to their reputations.
At present, once an allegation is made to a church representative, priests are put on leave from ministry as a precautionary suspension. However, there are differences across the country in the extent of detail given to parishioners, school boards, local clubs etc.
There are also differences in the amount of detail given to the parish and uncertainty around who should be informed and what people “need to know.”
“The difficulty in this situation is that the priest disappears and nobody knows what has happened. The vacuum is just filled by rumour. The Church needs to respect the need for information,” said NBSC chief executive, Ian Elliott.
“These guidelines outline the responsibilities of who does what, who knows what and when and what supports are there for those involved. We wanted a fair policy so there is not a knee-jerk reaction to these situations,” Mr Elliott said.
“The new guidance takes account of natural justice, canon law and reflects best practice in other sectors.”
Up to 197 allegations of clerical abuse were made to the NBSC in the past 10 months — a figure that is relatively stable compared to the previous year.
Mr Elliott has met with all four cardinals and Archbishops appointed by the Vatican to enquire into child protection procedures in this country as part of the Apostolic Visitation following the Murphy Report.
The Vatican appointed Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor to the archdiocese of Armagh; Cardinal Seán Patrick O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston, to Dublin; Archbishop of Toronto, Thomas Christopher Collins, for Cashel and Emly; and Archbishop of Ottawa, Terrence Thomas Prendergast, for Tuam.
Mr Elliott described the meetings as a “very serious listening exercise.”
The bishops were also told at the annual conference that over 3,000 people wrote written responses to Pope Benedict’s pastoral letter. Just over a quarter of these came through diocesan channels, a fifth from lay associations and almost half from religious communities.
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Friday, March 04, 2011
cANON LAW IS AN INSULT TO THE REST OF HUMANITY. THAY CAN BE SURE OF THEMSELVES BECAUSE ITS ALL ABOUT PROTECTING THIER SELVES. WHY SHOULD THAY PRACTISE OTHER LAWS. ALL LAWS SHOULD BE EXCEPTED BY ALL . BLAMING THE DEVIL WAS ALL VERY WELL 2000 YEARS AGO BUT LETS FACE IT SINCE THEN WE HAVE ALL LEARNED A LOT INCLUDING READING AND THINKING FOR OURSELVES
Sorry, maybe it will be brainwashing, not feet washing!
WILL HE HAVE HIS SUNLIGHT CARBOLIC SOAP TO WASH FEET?
So the pope is to visit Ireland in 2012 with mass in Croke Park. This must be the final insult to the Irish. “On your knees Irish, on your knees”.
“The new guidance takes account of natural justice, canon law and reflects best practice in other sectors.”
Natural Justice? This phrase keep on coming up in Church documents related to their ‘response’ to abuse.
What does it mean?
Where is it defined?
We KNOW that the Church uses legal language at all times in all it’s official documents, and that legal language has meanings that are obscure to non-clerics.
Apology means a defence of one’s position.
Victim means a consecrated sacrifice.
Re-conciliation means a re-friending TO the Church.
Check the etymology of these words.
Canon Law? It was Canon Law that predicated the suppression, cover-ups and other intimidating actions of Church Officials.
‘best practice’ in ‘other sectors’? There is still no legislation demanding mandatory reporting of abuse allegations to Civil Authorities in the first instance!
These nasty documants reveal that even still, the Church protects itself and not the Children, and the compliance of Government and some parishoners reveals a lack of empathy, honesty and courage that is utterly repugnant and criminal in intent. in that they run counter to the ratified Treaty, The United Nations Convention on The Rights of The Child.
As long as the protection of the church is the most important thing to these guys thay should be kept out of it the” police arrest civils who rape kids. that should work fine for the church. thay are wasting thier time with all these get togethers. its easy phone the police and let them do thier job of investgating whats happened
Mr Elliott described the meetings as a “very serious listening exercise.”
Well well well……..some one got their ears roasted!!! I wonder who was asking the questions?
Ian Elliott, outlined the draft guidance:
It’s simple lads…………you hand the predator over to the Gardaí.
Up to 197 allegations of clerical abuse were made to the NBSC in the past 10 months:
Since when is child abuse acceptable? the church’s disragard for human life regarding children is frightening. Paedophilia is not acceptable in any sane society, why is it allowed in Ireland?
THE VATICAN HAS APPOINTED CARDINAL MURPHY-O’CONNOR TO THE ARCHDIOCESE OF ARMAGH; CARDINAL SEÁN PATRICK O’MALLEY, ARCHBISHOP OF BOSTON, TO DUBLIN; ARCHBISHOP OF TORONTO, THOMAS CHRISTOPHER COLLINS, FOR CASHEL AND EMLY; AND ARCHBISHOP OF OTTAWA, TERRENCE THOMAS PRENDERGAST, FOR TUAM.
Please note:
THE CARDINALS’ OATH.
I, …………………………, CARDINAL OF THE HOLY ROMAN CHURCH, DO PROMISE AND SWEAR, THAT FROM THIS TIME TO THE END OF MY LIFE, I WILL BE FAITHFUL AND OBEDIENT UNTO ST PETER, THE HOLY APOSTOLIC ROMAN CHURCH AND OUR MOST HOLY LORD, THE POPE OF ROME AND HIS SUCCESSORS, CANONICALLY AND LAWFULLY ELECTED;
THAT I WILL GIVE NO ADVICE, CONSENT OR ASSISTANCE AGAINST THE PONTIFICAL MAJESTY AND PERSON;
THAT I WILL NEVER KNOWINGLY AND ADVISEDLY, TO THEIR INJURY OR DISGRACE, MAKE PUBLIC THE COUNSELS ENTRUSTED TO ME BY THEMSELVES, OR BY MESSENGERS OR LETTERS;
ALSO THAT I WILL GIVE THEM ANY ASSISTANCE IN RETAINING, DEFENDING AND RECOVERING THE ROMAN PAPACY AND THE REGALIA OF PETER WITH ALL MY MIGHT AND ENDEAVOUR, SO FAR AS THE RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES OF MY ORDER WILL ALLOW IT, AND WILL DEFEND AGAINST ALL THEIR HONOUR AND STATE AND I WILL DIRECT AND DEFEND WITH DUE FORM AND HONOUR THE LEGATES AND NUNCIOS OF THE APOSTOLIC SEE, IN THE TERRITORIES, CHURCHES, MONASTERIES, AND OTHER BENEFICES COMMITTED TO MY KEEPING;
AND I WILL CORDIALLY CO-OPERATE WITH THEM AND TREAT THEM WITH HONOUR IN THEIR COMBINING, AIDING AND RETURNING
AND THAT I WILL RESIST UNTO BLOOD ALL PERSONS WHATSOEVER WHO SHALL ATTEMPT ANYTHING AGAINST THEM.
THAT I WILL BY EVERY WAY AND BY EVERY MEANS STRIVE TO PRESERVE, AUGMENT AND ADVANCE THE RIGHTS, HONOURS, PRIVILEGES, THE AUTHORITY OF THE HOLY ROMAN BISHOP, OUR LORD THE POPE, AND HIS BEFORE-MENTIONED SUCCESSORS;
AND THAT AT WHATEVER TIME ANYTHING SHALL BE DECIDED TO THEIR PREJUDICE WHICH IS OUT OF MY POWER TO HINDER, AS SOON AS I SHALL KNOW THAT ANY STEPS OR MEASURES HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO THE MATTER,
I WILL MAKE IT KNOWN TO THE SAME, OUR LORD OR HIS SUCCESSORS, OR SOME OTHER PERSON BY WHOSE MEANS IT MAY BE BROUGHT TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE.
THAT I WILL KEEP AND CARRY OUT AND CAUSE OTHERS TO KEEP AND CARRY OUT THE RULES OF THE HOLY FATHER, THE DECREES, ORDINANCES, DISPENSATIONS, RESERVATIONS, PROVISIONS, APOSTOLIC MANDATES AND CONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY FATHER SEXTUS, OF HAPPY MEMORY, AS TO VISITING THE THRESHOLDS OF THE APOSTLES AT CERTAIN PRESCRIBED TIMES, ACCORDING TO THE TENOR OF THAT WHICH I HAVE JUST READ THROUGH.
THAT I WILL SEEK OUT AND OPPOSE, PERSECUTE AND FIGHT (OMNI CONATU PERSECUTURUM ET IMPUGNATURUM) AGAINST HERETICS AND SCHISMATICS WHO OPPOSE OUR LORD THE POPE OF ROME, AND HIS HERETOFOREMENTIONED SUCCESSORS,
AND THIS I WILL DO WITH EVERY POSSIBLE EFFORT.’