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A TOTAL OF 164 new allegations of sexual abuse were reported to the Catholic Church’s child protection watchdog between April last year and the end of March 2014.
This is according to the annual report of the National Board for the Safeguarding of Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI) which was published yesterday. The report notes that allegations of abuse are down from the 242 the previous year and most of the complaints relate to alleged abuse between the 1940s and 90s.
The biggest number of allegations relate to the 60s, 70s and 80s. The board said all of these complaints have also been passed to gardaí or the PSNI and where appropriate to the Child and Family Agency.
The watchdog has undertaken reviews of safeguarding practices in all 26 dioceses and initiated a three-year training programme, according to the annual report.
Teresa Devlin, who took over last year as CEO of NBSCCCI, said the board’s small team is committed to ensuring “past mistakes are not repeated”.
In its report, the board said the Church needs to have clear standards regarding support and supervision of priests and religious out of ministry.
“This means we need to develop a framework for assessment, clarity around canonical processes, good supervision, and support place so that we can reduce the likliehood of re-offending and therefore safeguard future children,” it said.
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If you want to know how “moral” the Vatican are just look at the case of Cardinal Bernard Law moved from Boston(The guy who moved paedophiles around for decades in Boston one of the biggest scandals ever in tbe USA)
To be”rewarded” as head of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome until his retirement,appointed by “Saintly” John Paul 2 and this disgusting piece of thrash even voted in conclave during the election of that other repugnant paedophile shielder Pope Benedict.
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/now-pope-linked-to-child-abuse-coverup-26640352.html
The Vatican hides behind its pseudo-statehood and diplomatic immunity.
The State panders to religion and gives it a free pass on the most abhorrent of crimes. http://news.sky.com/story/1206870/vatican-policies-allowed-priests-to-rape
Instead of inviting the P.R Pope to Ireland should cut all ties with the so called Holy See and remove it’s tax free status. (How many worthy projects could be funded by that?) Hit the Church the one place it actually cares about in the pocket.
Before I get the illogical backlash from the Catholic church apologists.
Why does anyone who believes in God need a middleman?
Why support a crowd with so much blood on their hands? Genocide – Paedophilia – covers up – laundering
No one should be above the law regardless of what branch of religion/non-belief they prescribe to be it Pope – President or pauper.
Spot of James, agree with every word you’ve said.
I’ve nothing against people that want to believe in a god, by all means be a christian.
Just don’t be a catholic, don’t support the Vatican in anyway way (if your a catholic you support the Vatican btw)…the Vatican have far too much blood on their hands and people supporting them gives them power.
Genocide?
@ Smith & Bishop – what a surprise to see ye here.
Ross – both Martin and myself and anyone else for that matter have the right to comment as much or as little as we like on any topic.
Why does it bother you Ross?
All you ever add are stupid comments Ross! You don’t engage in any active debate or counter argument.
Does the big bad atheists commenting on the crimes committed by your Church upset you Ross?
Would you like us to go away and pretend all this stuff didn’t happen? Allow the Pious to exist in their delusion and fantasy?
Ross are you that indoctrinated you’ll defend the indefensible?
If you wish to challenge any point I’ve made I’d welcome that but I doubt you have the courage or ability to do so.Now put up or shut up – Ross.
Killjoy yes genocide
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/08/catholic-church-apologise-failure-rwanda-genocide-vatican
Not to mention deals with Mussolini, Hitler and General Franco.
Well said James
I was about to go off on one about the same case till I red your comment
Thank you for saving my the typing
Well said james.
And its role in Vietnam.
And Kenny goes and invites the pope to Ireland!
By that logic the Queen should have not invited President Higgins to London last month while there are dissident republicans still intent on bombing British citizens.
In fairness Enda was quite vocal about this under the last Pope. I personally don’t agree with the RCC on many issues and am an atheist. But it looks like Francis is a bit more progressive. Being willing to work with a more progressive pope is a positive in my book. We still have to hold the church to account like we would any group that did this, but there’s no harm extending an olive branch to the new guy whether he accepts it or not.
That was a move to win the conservative catholic vote (not that it will make a difference) after the referendum. He also welcomed a td who lost the whip back into the fold because of voting against the Government on this issue.
Every vote counts and this lot will lie cheat and deceive to keep themselves and their cronies in a position to bleed this country dry.
Fred O’Connor,
Looks like you’ve fallen hook, line and sinker for the Vatican’s PR machine,
Please show me how exactly is the new pope being progressive and has changed anything meaningful in the Vatican?
Is it the Vatican’s lack of co-operation with the UN?
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/05/vatican-un-committee-clerical-sex-abuse-scandal
Perhaps it was how the Vatican mislead the UN regarding compensation to Magdalene women?
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/vatican-misled-un-committee-on-compensation-to-magdalene-women-1.1746416
Maybe its his involvement in the fast tracking of John Paul II to saint hood, lets not forget that JP was heavily involved in the coverups from 1980′s until 2005.
I’m sure you’re right Joseph but my point was more about Ireland sending a message to the RCC, not Enda Kenny’s motives. I’m under no illusions about our politicians.
@ martin bishop I couldn’t agree with you more. I have no idea why people think this man is better than what came before him. he just says all the right things, so did JPII.. young people of Ireland, I love you. what appears to be happening is he is saying all the wishy washy stuff and the people down the line of command are carrying on as normal:- denying, covering up and being unaccountable for crimes.
Hey Martin. Looks like you missed the part of my comment about how we still have to hold the church to account like we would any other group who had done this. Popes, Taoisigh – they’re politicians in different outfits. Everything is PR with them. What I was talking about was a possible future relationship between our leaders and the Vatican, where the RCC compensates the abused, prevents future abuse and more progressive behaviour and views by popes are encouraged. It was a suggested alternative to closing the door entirely. As an atheist I would prefer if Irish society moved through the current conflict between religious and secular values in a more inclusive way than in the polarized, counter-productive way this is happening in the USA, France and the UK. Of course – and in case you missed it I’ll say it a third time – this could only work if the RCC, and the Pope as its head, owns it’s part in generations of abuse and is compelled to compensate all victims fully.
The new guy as you put it should be kissing our a$$ not the other way round .
The light continues to shine on the dark days of the Catholic Church in Ireland and rightly so. Let justice be served for the victims.
Does the report allude to how many priests were involved?
Very sad when I read about people waiting decades to name their abuser. That they felt scared or not allowed to report (or did and were hushed up), reminds me of our weaknesses as a people and our hitherto unhealthy relationship with the Catholic church. But sadly the revelations of widespread abuse and collusion to conceal it in the entertainment industry in Britain shows that this behaviour isn’t uniquely Irish or uniquely Catholic. It’s about fear of challenging authority and challenging community values – whether that community is your home town or the BBC. And when I think of how much courage it took for all of these people to stand up to their abusers and all of those who colluded to keep them quiet I am inspired by it. We like to complain about how things are run and all the secret deals that get done here in so many spheres of Irish life. But if enough of us challenge outdated and toxic value systems, we can change the world.
Any update on their debt due to the Irish taxpayer ?
As of start of April 2014
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/vatican-misled-un-committee-on-compensation-to-magdalene-women-1.1746416
The Vatican asserted to the UN that the four religious congregations that ran Magdalene laundries in Ireland were willing to pay part of a compensation scheme developed by the State for women who had been in the laundries.
However, the Vatican mislead (maybe lied?) and the Irish Government had to point out to the UN that two of the religious congregations concerned have since repeated their unwillingness to contribute to any compensation scheme for the women.
Another 164 lives and families ruined, tainted and messed up, to fulfill the need of priest!
No money can fix that!
The Catholic Church has run this country for years from the 1930′s to 1970′s with their it’s a sin to have kids out of wedlock or ya can’t take the pill etc…. Em feck off!!!!! Look what they are doing now… PERVS… They ask the church goers for money and ppl still fall for it… The pope doesn’t do thing..
You think it ended in the 1970′s?
Its still not ended,
- In the 1980′s a catholic ethos school could legally fire a women for having a baby outside of marriage
- in 1993 it was only made legal for anyone to buy condoms
- During the 1990′s we had to have a referendom on divorce and the biggest crowd against it were religious
- The Catholic church got their way on denying abortions to women who have been raped and become pregnant as a result, thats as recent as last year.
- We are still debating allowing same sex marriage, the main opposition to this are religious
How come this situation only merits a ‘small team’.
You know what’s depressing but oh so predictable? That we’ve only just uncovered the tip of the iceberg as far as RCC child abuse goes. All the sordid tales of rape have come out of counties considered part of the ‘developed world’- mostly Europe and the US. It stands to reason that they have been at the same appalling behaviour in the Chruch’s strongholds in parts of Africa, Asia and South America. I expect that we’ll be hearing more tales of child rape by priests for decades to come.
And now The RCC are spreading into china. Someone please warn the chinese.
Priests should have to break the seal of the confession in cases of abuse or be charged. Crime is crime.
Crimes against children are so heinous that accused pedophiles like many priests, Sylvain Kustyan, Jerry Sandusky, etc. and their enablers, must be apprehended before they have years to continue to destroy young lives. Sandusky is now safely behind bars. But unfortunately, Kustyan, who has been formally charged with two counts each of 1st Degree Sodomy and Sexual Abuse of a ten-year-old little boy, fled to avoid imminent arrest. Kustyan, formerly of Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Hermin/ Mazingarbe, France, as an English teacher, has led numerous groups of schoolchildren on trips to the US, the UK and Ireland.. Pedophiles condemn their victims to a lifetime of emotional and psychological trauma and often permanent physical ailments as well. Since the average pedophile has 300 different victims in their lifetime and since the recidivism rate among pedophiles is virtually 100% and since there is no effective treatment and no known cure they must be stopped ASAP!
There are more firemen, army, Garda, male teachers, councillors/politicians etc than priests in Ireland, is there a good argument for closing the church training centres? Something is terribly wrong in there man dominated training.
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