REACTION:SEVERAL CLERICAL child sex abuse victims have reiterated their calls for Cardinal Seán Brady to resign following his decision to "reflect on what he has heard from those who have been hurt by abuse".
Andrew Madden, who went public with an abuse lawsuit against the church in 1995, dismissed the comments made yesterday by Dr Brady in his St Patrick’s Day homily in Armagh.
“The notion of careful reflection is nonsense – he’s had 35 years to reflect on what he did then,” he said.
“If the Catholic Church in Ireland is to be led by a man who accurately reflects it in its current state, then maybe it’s only right and fitting that it should be led by a man who has covered up the sexual abuse of children by a priest.
“He’s either going to go or he’s not going to go and if he doesn’t, the Catholic Church can’t pretend to be serious in any way about the issue of child protection and about reaching out to people who have been abused,” said Mr Madden, who was abused by former priest Ivan Payne.
Bernice Donoghue, who was abused by paedophile priest Brendan Smyth, said Dr Brady did appear contrite and humble. However, she said that as the head of the Irish church, he had to lead by example and resign.
Colm O’Gorman, who was abused as a child by a priest and later founded the One in Four charity, said he felt “some compassion” for Dr Brady.
“But I’m afraid an admission of regret and statements of shame, whilst important, don’t go far enough to acknowledging the significant responsibility that he has but also that the institution he heads has had for the cover-up.”