Clerical abuse!

[mylestheslasher]

Charlie bird was on RTE news tonight about the catholic church abuse scandal in the USA, he mentioned a figure of 1 billion in payouts to victims. I thought I was hearing things but a quick google confirms that Charlie was bang on. How can a church compile monies which are obviously way in excess of billions of dollars. Does no one see anything wrong in this?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4655265.stm

Church faces record abuse payout


A Kentucky judge has provisionally approved the largest payout yet in the US Catholic Church abuse scandal.
The settlement, between a diocese in the state and an unknown number of sexual abuse victims, amounts to a record $120m (£68m).

The class-action suit accused the Church of covering up child abuse by priests and others over 50 years.

The scandal has cost the Church more than $1bn in payouts since 1950,an Associated Press review says.

In the Kentucky case, the diocese of Covington will have to make $40m available immediately from its assets, if the payout is confirmed by the judge, John W Potter, at a hearing set for January.

The diocese is suing insurance companies for the remaining $80m.

One of the plaintiffs in court was Richard Lillick, 63, who said he was first molested in 1957.

"I can't imagine anything better from our point of view," he said of the settlement, which he described as "an attempt to root out a very grotesque cancer that's been eating at the diocese for years and years".

The judge has ordered attorneys to determine exactly how many people qualify for compensation.

Victims have until November to file claims, and could be entitled to awards of between $5,000 and $450,000, depending on the severity of their ordeal.

The abuse scandal in the US blew up in the Boston Archdiocese three years ago and spread across the country.

Last year, a report commissioned by the Church said more than 4,000 US Roman Catholic priests had faced sexual abuse allegations in the last 50 years in cases involving more than 10,000 children, mostly boys.

[Tyrones own]

I have the answer to the whole thing sorted lads........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpuYoK6wv_Y

[Main Street]

Perhaps some of the you that have been defending the church could answer the above because I am genuinely interested to know your opinions on them.

Myles  quite frankly you have a, dare I say it, preachy style, that does not attract discussion
The USA abuse has been well known for some time and the Cardinal O'Connell is strongly implicated in the cover up. Unfortunatly he had the pull to avoid  a grand jury investigation of his role. I have absolutely no doubt that the cover up here went up to Cardinal level.

It has been a very long process to get this far and it is going to take a lot more effort to bring this further. The story of the campaign for justice by the disempowered is one of the most positive developments of modern day Ireland. The so called Celtic Tiger in its boom years  is nothing compared to this.
I remember once trying to talk to some people about one abuser in our midst on the eve of Tyrone  Kerry AISF, for about an hour I detailed all I knew. Unknown to me, about 5 in the group were abused by this man. Later the next day I was told that I shouldn't be talking about such a well respected figure like that, not that it bothered me in the least.  Some 15 years later, this man eventually pleaded guilty to all charges. I met these guys again, all of whom came forward to bear witness. None of them could remember me talking about it so stridently some 15 years earlier.
I suppose that gives you an idea how deep this was buried, the personal denial of the abuse and the progress that has painfully been made  since. Be in no doubt that for each abuse victim to come to terms with something like that, is pain you cannot imagine.

[orangeman]

Did you'se hear about the PP in Offaly at the weekend who described the pupils of an Daingean as "ruffians" and half the parishioners got up and walked out of the chapel ?


This PP is some boy. Where has he been living ?

[mylestheslasher]

Perhaps some of the you that have been defending the church could answer the above because I am genuinely interested to know your opinions on them.

Myles  quite frankly you have a, dare I say it, preachy style, that does not attract discussion
The USA abuse has been well known for some time and the Cardinal O'Connell is strongly implicated in the cover up. Unfortunatly he had the pull to avoid  a grand jury investigation of his role. I have absolutely no doubt that the cover up here went up to Cardinal level.

It has been a very long process to get this far and it is going to take a lot more effort to bring this further. The story of the campaign for justice by the disempowered is one of the most positive developments of modern day Ireland. The so called Celtic Tiger in its boom years  is nothing compared to this.
I remember once trying to talk to some people about one abuser in our midst on the eve of Tyrone  Kerry AISF, for about an hour I detailed all I knew. Unknown to me, about 5 in the group were abused by this man. Later the next day I was told that I shouldn't be talking about such a well respected figure like that, not that it bothered me in the least.  Some 15 years later, this man eventually pleaded guilty to all charges. I met these guys again, all of whom came forward to bear witness. None of them could remember me talking about it so stridently some 15 years earlier.
I suppose that gives you an idea how deep this was buried, the personal denial of the abuse and the progress that has painfully been made  since. Be in no doubt that for each abuse victim to come to terms with something like that, is pain you cannot imagine.

Preachy style or not I asked a question directed at those who would have the opinion that this whole scandal is about a few bad apples etc etc. They take this view, in my opinion, as they simply can't face the fact that their beloved church could inflict such horrendous abuse onto little kids and then cover it up, obstruct investigations etc. Much easier to blame the few bad apples that inflicted the abuse and ignore the responsibility of the rest of the church in the equally disgusting behaviour ever since. As you have clearly stated in your post, the cover up in the US went to cardinal level. I wonder how high up it went in Ireland. The US church could find 1 billion to pay the victims. The church here has committed to 120 million or so, has only to date handed over half of that and is crying about the fact they can't find the rest. They would have us believe they don't even know the assets they own. And still more scandal is to come, - see abuse of trust 9pm tonight on TV3 (although knowing TV3 they'll probably make a balls of it).

[orangeman]

Redress board to be reformed

[orangeman]

I know this isn't the same thing but is the reponse not similar ?


Flasher 'working at elderly home' 
 
It has emerged that a convicted sex offender is continuing to work at a home for the elderly in south Belfast.

Terry McCauley, of Elgin Court, was found guilty of an exposure charge last month and given a suspended sentence.

But the 59-year-old is still employed as a maintenance officer at Nazareth House Care Village on Ravenhill Road.

In a statement, the Sisters of Nazareth, who run the home, said they had "no concerns about" McCauley.

The Ballynafeigh man received a sentence of five months at Belfast Magistrates Court, suspended for three years, in addition to being placed on the sex offenders' register for the original offence, which took place in June 2006.

SDLP assembly member Carmel Hanna said that it was a decision for the nuns.

"I'm in no way minimising any sex crimes and I can understand people's concerns, but this conviction was very much at the lower end of the scale," she said.

"There was no custodial sentence, it doesn't involve children and the nuns, who appear to have discussed this at length with this man, are very well aware of it and they have made the decision to retain him in their employment."

Sister Teresa Joseph, regional superior for Ireland, told the South Belfast News she knew McCauley personally and had "no doubts" about him, even after the court ruling.

"We made it quite clear that because of the suspended sentence he has to be very careful with regards as to how he acts, especially if children come into the village," she said.
"We have done our part as employers and made Terry aware of what people have been saying."

[pintsofguinness]

In the name of f**king Jesus!!!

Have these people learned  nothing?  Are the stupid or what!

[orangeman]

In the name of f**king Jesus!!!

Have these people learned  nothing?  Are the stupid or what!

That was my immediate reaction as well when I read it, so I thought I would guage opinion.
Mind boggling response.

[mylestheslasher]

In the name of f**king Jesus!!!

Have these people learned  nothing?  Are the stupid or what!

No they have learned nothing and yes they are stupid, as is anyone that gives them the time of day.

[Puckoon]

I hope he's not gettin nun.

[brokencrossbar1]

Maybe they feel he has reformed and forgiveness is possible, anyway they may think his crime was just a flash in the pan!

I'll get my coat

[mylestheslasher]

Anyone listening to the last word on today fm today. Interesting guy on who wrote a book on the story of a woman looking for her brother.

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/s/martin-sixsmith/lost-child-of-philomena-lee.htm

Selling babies, another shameful act of the church. I don't know how anyone can have anything to do with this shower.

[orangeman]

Collection levy not compensation 
 
The Catholic church in the Derry Diocese has said no collection money used to compensate abuse victims.

It was responding to concerns raised by the Voice of the Faithful organisation over an increase in the levy taken by the diocese from parish collections.

The diocese said the increase was "due to a prudent assessment of costs associated with running the diocese."

Voice of the Faithful spokesman, Sean O'Connell, said parishioners have a right to know how their money is spent.

"It was Bishop Hegarty himself who said in 2005 that people have a right to know where their money goes, but since then he seems to use to have gone out of his way to keep us in the dark in that regard.

"It was only because our statement went into the media that we now know that no donations are being made to the stewardship trust, but we should have known that long ago."

In a statement, the Derry diocese said it did not contribute to the Stewardship Trust Fund for the victims of clerical abuse.

"The increase in levy on parish income arises from increasing costs borne by the diocese and is not linked to the Stewardship Trust Fund.

"The diocese is obliged to pay the costs associated with providing services at diocesan level, many of which are directly availed of by parishes.

"The increase in levy is not linked to any special fund, diocesan or national, for compensation arising from child sexual abuse allegations."

[mylestheslasher]

To those of you that thought the joke of a church has changed one iota...

From Drogheda Independent 23/09 (http://www.drogheda-independent.ie/news/colm-ogorman-key-speaker-at-mass-1894034.html)

Colm O'Gorman key speaker at Mass

By Alison Comyn
Wednesday September 23 2009
FOUNDER of the group 1 in 4 Colm O'Gorman has agreed to be key speaker at the Mass of Reconciliation in the Augustinian Church, Shop Street in memory of the 30th anniversary of the visit of Pope John Paul II to Drogheda.

The Mass will take place at 1.15pm on Sunday September 27th.

Mr O'Gorman was the first to highlight the abuse of Fr Sean Fortune, and Fr Iggy O'Donovan says this is the perfect time to recall the same message of reconciliation brought by the then Pontiff three decades ago.

'The theme will be one of healing and we invite everyone to come and join us on Sunday and pray for the Church, and hear from this wonderful man,' says Fr Iggy.

'The Pope appealed for reconciliation all those years ago, and we have seen great scenes like Bertie Ahern and Ian Paisley at the Boyne since, so we would like to carry on the message.


And from Irish times 26/09 (http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0926/1224255283848.html)

O'Gorman 'surprised' as Mass invitation withdrawn

ONE IN FOUR founder Colm O'Gorman has spoken of his surprise at "the unique experience of being 'uninvited' from taking part" in a Mass of healing and reconciliation planned by Fr Iggy O'Donovan at the Augustinian Church in Drogheda for tomorrow.

He said: "It appears that the Archdiocese of Armagh, led by Cardinal Seán Brady, believes there was something inappropriate about the invitation and instructed Fr O'Donovan to withdraw it." This, Mr O'Gorman felt, was "a real shame".

It was "a shame that senior church leaders have chosen to close their hearts, their minds and their ears to words offered in a true spirit of hope. Hope informed by an absolute belief in the endless possibilities to be found in our human capacity to transcend terrible trauma and find a way forward together."

Instead they had "used their power to prevent such a process from finding even more powerful expression by locating it in church". In his planned address he had "no intention of raking over old, now established hurts".

Instead, he had hoped "to speak about my sense of an immense opportunity for us all, having named and to a large part owned the truth of the terrible crimes inflicted upon children within church, to find a way forward together in a new spirit of truth, compassion, understanding and love".

He believed "in the power of truth. Naming the truth in difficult circumstances is always the right thing to do." So often "we run from things we have done that we feel mark us as bad. I know that feeling; for so many years I ran from my own feelings of shame and self-blame."

He had planned to end his address by quoting from the Gospel of John: "Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action."



Ah, I'm sure the sheep will continue to support that heartless fu*k Brady (not too often I would describe a fellow Cavan man in these terms). Makes me sick to the pit of my stomach. When are the decent people in the catholic church going to get off their lazy holes and say "stop" instead of pretending there is nothing amiss.