THERE WAS no indication of any concern on the part of the Vatican for the abused children, Fianna Fáil justice spokesman Dara Calleary said.
“While the Vatican authorities might not have encouraged bishops to break the law, they encouraged them to put the reputation of the church before the protection of children,” he said.
“They were more worried about embarrassment than the damage of abuse.”
He asked about the extent to which the Vatican had interfered in other dioceses, saying that should be a factor in the HSE audit.
Mr Calleary said the Vatican had yet to issue a formal response a week after the Cloyne report’s publication.
Its only response was through a spokesman who, in a personal capacity, said there was nothing in the advice given by the papal nuncio in 1997 to encourage bishops to break Irish laws. The spokesman had said that the Vatican’s advice on child protection policies could not be interpreted as an invitation to cover up abuse.
“Does he take us for fools?’’ Mr Calleary asked.
He said the strongest message should be directed at those who covered up in Cloyne, the Vatican and elsewhere.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said the church had always played a significant role and had been respected and valued by both people of faith and the wider community.
“The undeniable facts in this report show a different picture of the Catholic Church in Cloyne. Abusers were allowed to use their status as clergy to carry out the most appalling crimes and the church’s leadership in the diocese and in Rome showed a callous disregard for safety and the rights of the most vulnerable members of the flock.”
This was done not simply to avoid scandal. “It went much further and involved a wilful refusal to respect basic moral and legal responsibilities.’’
Mr Martin said the stand of some church leaders, most especially Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, should be acknowledged.
“The church will only retain a place of importance in our society if his colleagues follow him in his impressive commitment to acknowledging and addressing the failure of the church over too many years.”
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (SF) said the church was not above the law and it was high time it stopped thinking it was.
“Bishop John Magee had no interest in protecting the children of Cloyne and fobbed off his responsibility to Msgr Denis O’Callaghan who, equally, had no interest in reporting the abuse of children to the authorities. Bishop Magee actively and knowingly lied to the government, the health service and the Garda.”
Mr Ó Caoláin accused Bishop Magee of concealing information on crimes committed by priests in his diocese. “He actively engaged in the reckless and, at times, wilful endangerment of children.”
He said there were prosecutions to be faced by those who had perpetrated crimes against children, either through directly abusing them or being complicit in the cover-up of the abuse.
“Nothing less, I fear, will bring an end to this lurid regime.’’
Mr Ó Caoláin said the cardinals might have apologised for the report but that was not good enough. “The official church has disgraced itself in the handling of this most serious of issues. It is absolutely disgusting and goes right to the top.”
