A ten-page booklet with Interim Guidance on Leave from Ministry in cases of allegations of sexual abuse of children has been issued by the National Board for Safeguarding Children. It is dated January 2012. It is available on the website of the Irish Catholic Bishops:
http://www.safeguarding.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Ministry-Leave-2012.pdf
Pádraig McCarthy
The National Catholic Reporter carried an article about the call by Australian Bishop Vincent Long Van Nguyen for an end to clericalism in the church.
“… the priesthood ‘pedestalized’ is the priesthood dehumanized. It is bound to lead us into the illusion of a messiah complex and an inability to claim our wounded humanity and to minister in partnership. What we need to do is to humanize the priesthood so as best to equip ourselves with relational power for authentic Gospel living and service.” Bishop Vincent Long Van Nguyen is quoted as saying.
What is it that makes changes to church life and practice so difficult and why does change happen so slowly? Life though is not static, life is dynamic and this implies evolution, growth and maturity.
Brian Eyre continues to reflect on priesthood in the light of his own experiences in Brazil.
The ACP Leadership Team reminds members about the gatherings of the Association in the coming weeks, and other related events taking place this Autumn.
Sean M O’Connail assesses the progress in the ten-year plan of implementing the National Directory for Catechesis and finds that, three years in, it has come to a standstill. He calls on the Irish Bishops to acknowledge the state of emergency in the Irish Church, given the crisis facing clerical manpower and morale.
This gathering at the Regency Hotel, Dublin on the May Bank Holiday Monday, was open to all, lay and clergy alike.
Brendan Hoban, in the Western People, gives his thoughts on a very topical subject at present; should the church ever refuse a funeral Mass?
Brendan says “One of the most difficult truths of the Christian faith is that no one is beyond the reach of God’s mercy. No one. This is easy to understand in theory but a difficult concept to accept in practice.”
“So whether it’s the funeral of an IRA bomber during the troubles in the North or a priest pedophile buried in the dead of night or gangsters who have brought incredible suffering to countless individuals and families, that one truth applies to everyone. None of them is beyond the extended reach of God’s love and moderating that reach is not an option for a Christian church.
Jesus Christ expressed that truth clearly in just two words in Luke 6:37, ‘Judge not’ “.
Page 5:
“As part of a risk management plan, the making of a public statement is a matter of necessity where the respondent remains resident in the parish/congregation.”
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Why is this? If a lay school teacher is suddenly accused of molesting a minor, say 20 years before, and continues to live near the school, does the headmaster call a public meeting to broadcast the fact that an allegation has been made? Does any other organisation outside the Catholic Church behave like this?
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Appendix 1
Note on canonical procedures
“When an allegation or concern has been received, and a referral to An Garda Siochána/PSNI/HSC/HSE has been made, a preliminary investigation should be initiated when the Ordinary receives information which has at least the semblance of truth regarding an offence (canon 1717; canon 695).”
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What does “at least the semblance of truth” mean IN PRACTICE? Does it simply mean that the priest was in the country (or at least the Continent) at the time the allegation refers to?
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There was a case in Australia couple of years ago, in which a senior Vincentian was accused of abusing a child 20 years before. The police arrested him amid huge publicity. By producing his passport he was able to prove that he was not in Australia at the time! Presumably this type of allegation would lack “the semblance of truth” as per the The National Board For Safeguarding Children? Are there any OTHER circumstances in which the semblance of truth would be considered to be lacking?