Priests made scapegoats, says article

Priests accused of child sex abuse are being made scapegoats in the same manner as Jews and witches were in the past, an article in the official bulletin of the National Conference of Priests of Ireland suggests. In dealing with allegations of abuse against priests, the Catholic Church is using procedures that "unintentionally endanger" the reputation of the priests concerned, and their right to be considered innocent until proven guilty.

"In principle, a person should be safer in the Christian community from false allegations than elsewhere," says the writer, described as "a special correspondent".

It is "anomalous" that priests have had to seek protection and redress against procedures sanctioned in the Christian community in secular laws, he adds.

Commenting on the case of a priest recently acquitted on charges of sexual abuse, after he was removed by the local bishop against the wishes of his parish representatives, the writer says it was "somewhat perplexing" to find that "unsustainable allegations from the distant past were sufficient to secure the removal of a man from his position for almost two years.

"This case suggests it is possible for people to use, or recruit, the episcopal office of a diocese to have a priest removed from parish ministry on unproven allegations."

But acting to remove a priest on a suspicion that he may have committed a criminal act in the distant past "cannot be based on the nature of Christian ministry".

Other priests have been removed in cases where there is no basis for charges in civil law. These priests therefore have no jurors to decide their case, the writer asserts.

"The lessons of history about scapegoating particular categories such as Jews or alleged witches may not have been learnt in responding to the current issue of child sex abuse.

"They suggest the importance of safeguarding individual rights in the face of possible public panic, and of ensuring that all the formalities of due process are strictly observed," says the writer.

The writer's remarks, described as "pastoral comment", are contained in the NCPI news bulletin, which was distributed to delegates at the annual conference of the NCPI in Dublin this week.