The John Terry affair, like that of many other sportsmen before him, was sordid. Not only did he betray his wife and children, he also betrayed his team-mate and friend. He’s not the first footballer to behave badly, and expectations are not high when it comes to the off-pitch conduct of premiership stars.
Where it differed from the morass of adultery, dogging, domestic violence and drug-taking stories that have emerged about others in the past, is the masterful handling of the situation by England manager Fabio Capello. Showing true leadership, he demonstrated the consequences of his actions to Terry by stripping him of his captain’s armband. Higher standards are expected of people in positions of authority. You can’t lead a team while behaving treacherously to a team-mate. Loyalty and decency matter. Some things are just wrong and there is a price to be paid. Capello sent out this message loud and clear.
Morality, like ethics, standards and decency, has felt like a dirty word in recent years. The modern generation must tiptoe through a minefield of dilemmas where there are few certainties. But there have been revelations of such horror that collective judgement has been immediate and absolute.
Last year the contents of the Ryan report into child abuse in residential institutions shocked Irish society to its core. We struggled to find an adequate response as the scale and depth of systematic abuse of children emerged. The acts described in the report were of the most heinous nature – repeated rapes, constant humiliation, attempted destruction of children.
The publication of the report was a powerful moment of awakening. It forced the government to reexamine the contemptible deal struck with the religious orders that offered them indemnity against all legal claims on payment of €128m in cash and property. The arrangement, brokered in the final days of the government in 2002, was on behalf of 18 religious orders. Total liability later ran to €1.2bn.
When the disgusting detail of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse came out, the public clamour for more accountability from the religious orders grew to a crescendo. While initially resisting a reopening of the deal they later relented and agreed that it could after all be reopened.
The 18 orders that signed the indemnity deal with the State were the same orders who had tried their best to obstruct the compilation of the report. They are: Sisters of Mercy; Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul; Christian Brothers; Good Shepherd Sisters; Presentation Brothers; Rosminians; Oblates of Mary Immaculate; Hospitaller Order of St John of God; Sisters of Charity; Sisters of Our Lady of Charity of Refuge; Sisters of St Clare; Institute of St Louis; Presentation Sisters; De La Salle Brothers; Dominicans; Daughters of the Heart of Mary; Brothers of Charity and Sisters of Nazareth.
Last May the Conference of Religious in Ireland (Cori) said: “Cori supports the 18 congregations whose institutions were investigated by the Ryan report in their efforts to find the best and most appropriate ways forward. All of us accept with humility that massive mistakes were made and grave injustices were inflicted on very vulnerable children. No excuse can be offered for what has happened. The recommendations and conclusions of the Ryan report constitute an imperative for all those involved in the care of vulnerable people.”
Yet today we reveal that these same religious orders are seeking to have the State cover their legal costs for their obfuscation in its compilation. While they have been forced, kicking and dragging, to make adequate compensation for their crimes against children by handing over more property and cash to the state, this move will effectively claw back tens of millions of euro if they are allowed to succeed in their claim.
Enda Kenny is right when he says that just because it is legally correct it does not make it morally justifiable. Unfortunately morality and the Catholic Church in Ireland are not synonymous. Our expectations for the behaviour of the religious orders at whose hands generations of children suffered are very low.
Is it too much to expect that our religious leaders would know what the right thing to do is? The Christian Brothers and the Cori were unavailable for comment this weekend. We hope they are considering the morality of their position.
February 7, 2010
The Sunday Tribune Ireland.
Many with forked tongues speak amongst us! So be warned! Information has come to light of the double crossing by survivors of survivors! Remember, you saw it here first – when the proverbial hits the fan!
Gradually as the sheeps clothing is being pulled off the flock of wolves, we see in deeper and deeeper tones the tenacious nature of the abusive and parasitic culture that prevails in these ´religious orders´.
What will they stop at, even if ostracised by the state and citizens, they will still fight with what ever resources they have to try to regain their ground. Even if violent attempts were made to expunge them, they will seek to regroup and rebuild. This is the nature of the parasite. The parasite only exists while it can exploit and drain within a community. The parasite will not exist if isolated and prevented from contacting its quarry.
For this reason, it is important that it be destroyed fully.
Sounds extreme, but the more virulent the religious cult, the more dangerous it is.
I personally abhor violence but that’s what it may come to and given the nature of these people and their cults, that what may be necessary.
Been on to the Dept of Justice again and RTE for their failure to cover the church legal fees angle, demanding to know why their news website is not covering that story.
I’m also on to diaspora groups and on blogsites doing what I can to make sure the news gets spread around.
I don’t know if any of the survivors are aware or follow politics.ie (warning there are two or three church muppets issuing the usual denial stuff on there but they are being challenged well by sympathetic bystanders).
Have noted CORI non-response and will be on to them next. You aren’t on your own anymore, remember.
Chins up…
What !!! CORI are unavailable for comment ! Jaysus that’s a new one! We must take stock here and realise that these religious orders have the pope on their side – he’s just issued a ‘homily’ denying any problem with paedophilia in the church – all he says is that some clergy were bad boys: http://tinyurl.com/only-some-of-us-were-bad
The absence of morals should not come as a shock, we have seen this time and time again. It must be understood that these orders and especially the Christian Brothers are anti-Irish and perceive the Republic as a colony to be used at will especially it,s children.The colony is to pay for its audacity in bringing them to book and exposing them as less than human. I call on the Pope to disband the Irish Christian Brothers and for the Irish Republic to confiscate that orders assets to be used to compensate the survivors of their Gulags. The Pope claims to be angry at the behaviour of these orders, well let him put that anger into actions. Actions protect children not words. Disband that evil sect and confiscate their assets. Show these usurpors the door.
My sentiment entirely Martha. Have an Aran jumper ready for me and I’ll join you on the barricades.
Raymond
I wonder if we as a society have become desensitised to the oft reported litanies of sexual abuse. It has even earned it’s own title as Misery Lit. in publishing circles.
We really ought to pat ourselves on the back for surviving these hell holes. As individuals, we should all be so proud of ourselves. For once in my life, I feel safe as I found a brother in Barry Clifford and I feel minded. It is the most wonderful feeling!
I will continue to fight alongside him for our cause. I will fight my body and conquer this illness. I will not give in. Come on along for the ride!
Obviously they no nothing about morality – all they know, is what they have always known – that they can fool most of the people most of the time – and get away with it. As I’ve said so often, they make great Catholis but poor Christians – and the Pharisies live on.. Their God is money, always was and always will be. Nothing changes and remember this is the year of Evangelisation – and the Pope is heading this direction – they need the money!!! for al their good deeds.
“Last year the contents of the Ryan report into child abuse in residential institutions shocked Irish society to its core. We struggled to find an adequate response as the scale and depth of systematic abuse of children emerged. The acts described in the report were of the most heinous nature – repeated rapes, constant humiliation, attempted destruction of children.”
Not so. Its Business as Usual in Ireland – just take a look around … MOST Irish people don’t give a damn about what happened to those who had the misfortune to end up in the Industrial Schools. That’s because most Irish people’s childhood experience was not so different in their own homes, with their own parents, as children.
When the Irish, per se, start being honest with themselves, then maybe we’ll get somewhere as a society…