Runaway bishop cannot hide from truth forever
The cowardly actions of certain individuals hang all Catholic clergy out to dry, writes Celia Larkin
Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.
-- Margaret J Wheatley
FR JOE McGuane speaks for most of us when he says it is time for Bishop Magee to return to Cloyne to answer criticisms outlined in the Commission of Investigation report.
The continuing refusal of Bishop Magee to explain his actions and more importantly, to explain the reason for the diocese's failure to tell the civil authorities about nine out of 15 allegations of child sexual abuse against a number of his priests, isn't just an example of personal cowardice. It hangs all Catholic clergy out to dry.
My heart goes out to all the good priests and bishops who are left to clean up the mess of cowardly individuals who run away rather than stay to explain their actions. Even more scandalous is the Vatican's complicity in this 'hide the bishop' episode.
This runaway bishop is the same guy who was private secretary to no less than three popes -- Paul V1, John Paul 1 and John Paul 11. This is also the guy who was implicated in the church's 'white lie' in relation to who found the body of Pope John Paul 1, (why the church felt the need to cover up the fact that a nun found John Paul 1's body is baffling). He is obviously well trusted at the top level within the Vatican. The very idea that he has gone into hiding without the knowledge, the sanction, even the collaboration of the top men within the church is, frankly, unbelievable.
The Catholic Church can issue all the apologies it likes. Archbishop Dermot Clifford can hold all the meetings he likes to discuss the Cloyne report, but he is fighting a losing battle in rebuilding confidence in his church until Bishop Magee faces the music.
The public perception is that the church is operating avoidance tactics. It is grossly unfair to hardworking priests throughout the country to expect them to suffer the wrath of the public when the individuals responsible for the cover-up of abuse cases are too cowardly to face the public, and powerful sections of the officer-class within the church are too terrified of what might be exposed were they to have the courage to face the public.
It's easy to issue a statement of apology. Far more difficult to explain yourself and face, in person, the consequences of your actions.
The victims of abuse need to know what happened. The public needs to know what happened. They need to know who exactly in Rome reacted -- or failed to react -- when it became public that Bishop Magee deliberately presented forged documents to Ian Elliott, head of the church's own Child Protection Board, when he was investigating allegations of child abuse in the Cloyne diocese. Because, make no mistake, whatever way you dress it up, that is what happened.
Cardinal Josef Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, sent a letter to every Catholic bishop in May 2001 which stated that the church can claim jurisdiction in cases where abuse has been 'perpetrated with a minor by a cleric'.
It ordered that 'preliminary investigations' into any claims of abuse should be sent to Cardinal Ratzinger's office, which had the option of referring them back to private tribunals in which the 'functions of judge, promoter of justice, notary and legal representative can validly be performed for these cases only by priests' and that the church's jurisdiction 'begins to run from the day when the minor has completed the 18th year of age' and lasts for 10 years.
The letter stated that 'cases of this kind are subject to the pontifical secret'. It went on to say breaching the pontifical secret while the 10-year jurisdiction order was operating carried penalties, including the threat of excommunication.
Cardinal Ratzinger is also quoted as saying 'standards of conduct appropriate to civil society or the workings of a democracy cannot be purely and simply applied to the church.'
Since then, the Pope has made a number of statements that strengthen the church's position on child sex abuse. Long overdue. But good, nonetheless.
But there can be no hope of confidence being restored in the church for as long as those responsible for the cover-up of abuse continue to behave in a secretive, duplicitous and cowardly fashion. No amount of 'mental reservation' can white-wash the fact that senior members of the Catholic Church effectively lied to the State by failing to report cases of child sex abuse ("mental reservation is a concept developed and much discussed over the centuries, which permits a church man knowingly to convey a misleading impression to another person without being guilty of lying").
Thankfully we live in a democracy and no person can be above the law. If the church is to survive, then it needs to operate in an open, compassionate, honest and humble way. Issues of such magnitude as addressed in the Cloyne report don't just disappear. Questions need to be answered and until Bishop Magee comes forward to answer the criticisms laid against him, the fallout from the report will endure like a running sore on the body of the church in Ireland.
After all, this is the bishop who, up to now, had no problem communicating with the public. He had a website that published everything he ever said about anything. He's curiously quiet now.
Fr Joe McGuane is right when he says that if Bishop Magee doesn't come forward he will be tracked down. He can run. He cannot hide forever. Nor should the church help to conceal him. If the Vatican believes that confession is good for the soul, they might usefully start to prove it by ensuring Bishop Magee makes a full public confession. In person. Soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment