BRENDAN BUTLER,
Madam, - Many of us priests have been saying for some considerable time that the institutional Church has become more concerned with preserving itself than doing what it was founded to do, telling about Christ. Now the chickens are coming home to roost in a particularly unpleasant way.
Even Pope John Paul, with all his admirable qualities, has resolutely added to the ugly institutional edifice by centralising power, stifling dissent and promoting faithful servants of the institution to powerful positions within the Church.
Of course Dr Desmond Connell should go. What is he doing in such a position at this time of his life, anyway? But his going is only the beginning of what is needed: a major dismantling of the institution, until it is again in the service of the people, rather than being their master. - Yours, etc.,
Father TONY FLANNERY, Esker, Co Galway.
Madam, - What's to become of us lay religion teachers in Catholic schools, whose job has become an almost impossible task? How can we continue to face our young people daily from now on and try to present Catholicism as the greatest good news that human beings have ever received when we are confronted with the contemporary "slaughter of the innocents"?
I for one will not try in any way to excuse or explain away the collusion of some of our most senior Churchmen in the covering up of violent sexual brutality committed by priests and religious on the most innocent young people entrusted into their care by trusting parents.
Christ kept his strongest condemnatory words for any involved whether directly or indirectly in the abuse of his little ones. He would be "better drowned in the depths of the sea with a great millstone round his neck" (Matthew 18:5). These are terrifying words which can't be explained away. - Yours, etc.,
BRENDAN BUTLER, Pennock Hill, Swords, Co Dublin.
Madam, - If Cardinal Connell were in any other job he have been sacked by now.At this stage he has no choice but to resign as most of his flock have lost faith and trust in him as a leader.
As for the other bishops and clerics implicated in the cover-up revealed by the Prime Time programme, perhaps they too, even at this late stage, would "come clean" and clarify their situation.
I know one thing for sure: we clerics on the ground are constantly being humiliated, embarrassed and shamed into having to apologise again and again for the mistakes and shortcomings of some of our so-called leaders.
Maybe some of these clerical yes-men appointed by Rome as leaders of the Catholic Church will have the courage to tell the truth, as Christ would tell it.
I can't help wondering at this time: have some of our cardinals, bishops and monsignors lost the run of themselves and forgotten about the teachings of Christ as regards little children.
I hope the Cardinal will do the honourable thing, face up to the charges levelled against him and do as Brendan Comiskey did: resign. - Yours, etc., JACKIE ROBINSON, PP, Borris-in-Ossory, Co Laois.
Madam, - Cardinal Connell's craven dereliction of responsibility for protecting children and vulnerable adults from sexual abuse is outrageous.
However, one must seriously question the moral integrity of a society so deferential to ecclesiastical authority that a bishop or cardinal is allowed the power simply to inform a hospital or rehabilitation centre that he has appointed a chaplain or pastoral carer to any of our public institutions. All such posts should be publicly advertised.
Clerical applicants should be subjected to the institution's standard democratic procedures for selection, interview, and appointment under contract. References should be required and taken up and Garda clearances required, where children and vulnerable adults are involved.
Unaccountable power corrupts unaccountably. Lay pusillanimity about democratic procedures is the counterpart to clerical perfidy and remains the rotten ground upon which such corrupt seeds fall and fester. - Yours, etc.,
Prof MARY C. KING, Ballyduff, Ashford, Co Wicklow.
Madam, - As I watched here in Switzerland the airing of RTÉ's Prime Time report on child abuse by clerics of the Dublin archdiocese, I was appalled not only by the extent of the abuse, but by the evident willingness of the diocesan management to place other interests above the safety of the children of our faith.
While I can easily understand that a small proportion of priests are sexually warped, what I cannot accept are the concerted endeavours by many "normal" clerics - and especially those in authority - to cover up these crimes at the expense of enabling the perpetrators to continue in business.
The appropriate response to the appalling vista laid out would have been a contrite and unreserved apology followed by the immediate resignation of Cardinal Connell and other clerics who allowed these criminals continuing access to children.
Instead, the cardinal sent his representatives to defend his position with feeble excuses that served only to display a failure to comprehend that the game is up.
As a lifelong Irish Catholic and active participant in Church affairs, I was made to cringe by the behaviour of a leader of my Church. Was the cardinal really too busy to give these abuses and their victims the urgent attention they warranted? Is it really only in recent years that the Church realised that the sexual abuse of children is gravely wrong, and not merely an embarrassing misdemeanour?
If there is any consideration for the dignity of our Church, heads must roll right now. Only after a clean sweep of all those tainted by this outrage can confidence begin to be slowly rebuilt in our devastated Church.
The links between the culture that harbours such deviance and the existence of an all-male, "celibate" clergy must also be urgently examined. - Yours, etc.,
BARRY GREENE, Chavannes-de-Bogis, Switzerland.
Madam, - One has only been able to look on with feelings of horror and disgust at the way in which the Catholic Church has "handled" the child abuse scandals of the past ten years. The word "handled" is part of the problem. Instead of following the teaching of Christ and facing up to the truth, they have tried to cover it up; and when that has not worked they have attempted to hide behind technicalities.
When one sees bishops hiding behind lawyers one knows that the game is up and that the bishops have failed in their office.
The fact that children have been abused by priests and religious is a scandal in itself and a grave evil. What has caused most hurt to the people of God and what is the greater scandal is that these child abusers where facilitated by their superiors.
Their activities were covered up; and whenever they came close to being exposed they were simply moved on to another community until again the same allegations were made and again they were covered up, and so on. The actions of the bishops and other religious superiors can only be understood as resulting from ignorance, stupidity, carelessness or malevolence. I leave the reader to choose.
While acknowledging that most priests have not been involved in any of this, I have to ask: Why have I yet to hear a sermon in my parish church addressing this issue? It is the elephant in the room that no one is mentioning. Remember, silence is consent.
In all this it is apparent that the clergy have forgotten that they are called to serve and to witness to the truth and the people of God.
Finally, where in all of this are the civil authorities? - Yours, etc.,
ALAN HYNES, Gleann Noinin, College Road, Galway.
Madam, - Looking back over the past decade and reviewing my experiences as a listener on Childline and as a non-professional counsellor in other related fields, I have come to the sad conclusion that at some subconscious level within Irish society, there is tacit acceptance that the sexual abuse of children is not all that serious.
The focus of our attention is now on the Catholic Church, and understandably so. But it is important not to forget that a lot of this appalling behaviour has taken place within the family home or local community, perpetrated by trusted family members, friends and others.
In one situation I am aware of, it was well known what was going on but protection of the reputation of a so-called respected professional was seen as being more important then the pain and suffering inflicted on many young girls over a 35-year reign of terror and abuse.
Be it denial or acceptance, few of us can throw stones. By our silence we chose the side of the persecutor. - Yours, etc.,
JIM JACKMAN, Park Drive Court, Castleknock, Dublin 15.