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LAST UPDATE | 2 Aug 2018
FOLLOWING REPORTS THAT Pope Francis may not have time to meet with clerical abuse survivors during his visit to Ireland later this month, he has been called on to publicly acknowledge the Church’s facilitation of these crimes while he is here.
Earlier in the week, Executive Directory of Amnesty International Ireland Colm O’Gorman, who is himself a survivor of clerical abuse, had highlighted attempts by the Vatican to block him when he sued over the abuse he suffered.
He said the Vatican had “asserted diplomatic immunity to avoid having to deal with the case”.
“The truth, it appears, didn’t matter. So when I hear JPII’s ‘Young people of Ireland, I love you’, it doesn’t inspire me. It sickens me’.”
O’Gorman is organising a demonstration at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin at 3pm on Sunday 26 August to coincide with the Pope’s visit.
The event page states this visit will be “marked by an effort to silence and marginalise those whom the church has harmed”.
We cannot allow that to happen.
We cannot stand by as those who suffered abuse and violation are pushed to one side and denied.
We cannot stand by and see the victims of the church’s brutal history marginalised and dismissed. We cannot stay silent as the Vatican uses its power and pomp to forcefully deny the reality of the harm it has done.
O’Gorman has asked people who have been “abused or hurt by the Catholic Church” and those who “wish to stand in solidarity with those who have been abused” to attend the event.
Colm O'Gorman / TwitterBecause if JPII really had loved the young people of Ireland he would have protected us from known clerical paedophiles. And I wouldn’t have had to endure three years of rape and sexual assaults. And thousands of other of Irish children wouldn’t have endured the same.
— Colm O'Gorman (@Colmogorman) July 29, 2018
Colm O'Gorman / TwitterAnd if Pope Frances loves the young people of Ireland, or has the slightest regard for principles such as truth and justice, he will acknowledge the depth of the Vatican’s appalling failures, it’s role in the cover up of the rape and abuse of Irish children like me. Let’s see.
— Colm O'Gorman (@Colmogorman) July 29, 2018
Yesterday the Irish Times, quoting Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin, reported “time is very tight” for the Pope to meet survivors of abuse during his visit.
“He will obviously speak about various forms of abuse not just clerical abuse, the abuse in the institutions, the laundries and the mother and baby homes. It would be great to meet some of the victims or survivors from that group, but the time is very tight.”
Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland today, O’Gorman said the concept of another “PR exercise” with a specifically selected group of survivors would be “galling” anyway. But he said the fact that this “isn’t even being considered” demonstrates that clerical abuse survivors are “of little regard”.
“It appears that not a jot of attention has been paid to how to address the tens of thousands of people who were so traumatised and harmed by the rape and abuse of children and vulnerable adults.”
O’Gorman said whether it is in a statement or a public address during his visit, Pope Francis should “just tell the damn truth” about the Chuch’s role in facilitating and covering up abuse by members of the clergy.
“If he doesn’t acknowledge the Church’s responsibility for those crimes, I think it will be frankly disgraceful.”
With reporting by Órla Ryan
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Colm is an incredibly brave man who shows the kind of empathy and behaviour that I don’t imagine I could if I’d been through half of what he has. The many failed by the Catholic Church need the voice that he gives them and the inevitable vitriol that some will spew on here about him says far more about those people than anything else.He’s a hero.
@Michael: And they’re off!
@Michael: Hmmm, I wonder why he’s bitter. Any ideas?
@Tom Thumb: Yeah it’s so brave to attack the Catholic Church in 2018.
@Edward Smith: i go back a lot longer than 2018 buddy and so does this evil cult
@Edward Smith: have you no shame? Has your church no shame? Still covering for them in 2018 despite proof that there was and is a continued cover up of child abuse. That there was and is documentation supporting their policy of silencing victims and you are aiding and abetting that with your rubbish about attacking the church. Shame on you and shame on anyone else still following this cult and turning their back on the countless victims whose lives it destroyed.
@Edward Smith: “Yeah it’s so brave to attack the Catholic Church in 2018.”
Well, ‘attacking’ them (nothing about them attacking children, no?) back in the day resulted in you being burnt at the stake. Thankfully, now, they do not operate with impunity.
@Edward Smith: somebody needs to stand up and do so
@Dell: Expecting shame from the RCC is a bit like expecting fish to ride a bicycle, it’s never going to happen
@Edward Smith: some truths need reiterating
@Edward Smith: smug; some truths need reiterating
@Larissa Nikolaus: which is odd considering the fact that guilt is their whole thing. Just other people’s guilt though I guess
@Dave O Keeffe: Of course, they’re great in inducing guilt and shame in their followers, but the top brass themselves are immune to any of it, all they care about is their power base and wealth, if the Church would use ts wealth to actively better the lives of the people it preaches to to accept their suffering, and that it brings them closer to the skyfairy, then I would maybe find a smidgen of respect for it, but as it is, it is just the largest organized crime syndicate on the planet.
@Edward Smith: no not brave in any respect..it’s assertive to stand up for themselves following years and years of abuse and trauma…that’s takes a tremendous amount of courage.
The majority of people are critical of how abuse was covered up..rather than being truthful and saying ..yes this is going on and we will stamp it out.theres nobody attacking the church ..they’re attacking people for their shameful behaviour.
Furthermore the pope will collect a large amount of money from various collections which I’m sure he has time to pocket yet he can’t find time to meet members of his flock who are hurting and still suffering? Shame on him
@Kem Trayle: he’s an overpaid bighead.
@Fergus Moroney: no need to personally insult the man, he is the pope afterall
@Dave O Keeffe: That’s no reason to respect him
@Dell: I think what he’s trying to say is that the same people who rightfully criticise the rcc wud never in a million years criticise other more archaic religions, I cud be wrong tho
@Vote4Pedro: I didn’t realise the pope was the leader of other religions? I mean it is the leader of the Catholic Church the state is laying out the red carpet for, isn’t it? Why would anyone start talking about other religions on an article about the Catholic Church, the very cult that was responsible for what happened to him and countless others? Whataboutery at best. Apologist, more likely.
@Larissa Nikolaus: Churches in ireland were being built when people in ireland where starving. the money from the british government was given to the catholic church for the poor. but they only care about themselves. don’t tell me that this was not an order from rome.
@Edward Smith: At an age where retirement is on the horizon… You say it is brave to attack the Catholic church in 2018… Many people were brave enough to tackle the Church in relation to it’s intefearance in state affairs. The church ran this country with the blessing off the state since it’s foundation. The crimes of the Church were yet to be revealed in my day. I personally have not entered a Church to partake in a religious capacity for over 40 years. If a person has a belief in the Catholic Church that is their right. To defend or gloss over the crimes of the Church is to bury your heads in the sand .
@Edward Smith: maybe Cromwell had the right idea
@Dave O Keeffe: The boss of the gang of bad lads deserves respect … for being the boss?
That fecker still hasn’t recanted the Bull Laudabiliter of 1155 in which Rome sent the English here to put smacht on us.
@Fachtna Roe: it was a joke, read the comment I was replying to then read mine again
@Tom Thumb: A look at the Ferns Report Shows 24 Paedophiles of which 2 heterosexuals the rest homosexuals 15 or bisexuals 7.
What the pope needs to do is to stop the ordination of homosexuals and permit the ordination of married men instead
Sean D
@Declan Gilsenan: what a stupid thing to say.. Many many married men have abused children.
@Tom Thumb: well said !
During the referendum on the eighth amendment, the yellow coated disciples of O’Gormans were exposed as congenital liars, and were accepted as such by O’Gorman himself during one of the debates. It’s a bit rich therefore, if not downright hypocritical, for him to be so strident so shortly afterwards. Stones and glasshouses come to mind.
@Garry Coll: This article is about the sexual abuse of children and you compare it to that! Crazy.
@Garry Coll: keep taking your medication son…
@Garry Coll: I agree completely…his arrogance doesn’t even come close either
@Neil Fox: He can’t defend the catholic church’s actions so instead he attacks its victims. A vile person.
Nothing exists in a vacuum, and the issue in relation to Mr O’Gorman is one of integrity, or lack of it.
He is demanding a standard from others that he not only will not live by himself or for the organisation he leads, but regards truth as an optional extra depending on the day that’s in it.
Following the referendum his integrity and that of his organisation is in the gutter, it will take more than a bit of grandstanding and virtue signalling like this to drag them out of it.
@WreckDefier: He has one massive chip on his shoulder, he needs help.
@Michael: He deserves our support as do other survivors. I think I’ll wear a yellow coat as well while this Pope is allowed to visit our country. The leader of a corrupt cult that has tried to annexe our country for far too long.
@Garry Coll: try and keep up with the argument
@Michael: he was raped by a member of your cult when he was 14 and the rest of your cult covered it up. Let that sink in and then get back to us with your nonsense about chips on shoulders.
@Garry Coll: “Following the referendum his integrity and that of his organisation is in the gutter”. Would this be the referendum that the side he was for won by a landslide? Colm o Gorman is a survivor of sexual abuse and a man who repeatedly has stood up to the likes of you and your church and has repeatedly won. He has more integrity in his small toe than you have in your entire being.
@Garry Coll: it’s easy to throw out accusations with no facts behind them. Are you a trump supporter by any chance ?
@Garry Coll: facts please
@Gus Sheridan: great counter arguement
@Garry Coll: replace O’Gorman with church hierarchy and your comment becomes more accurate
@Dell: by the way I’m not a Catholic nor have I been for 25 years.
@Michael: I couldn’t care less what you are, your comment about a chip on his shoulder is nonsense.
@Dell: Strange because earlier you seemed to care as you call it My cult. Now pick up your toys there’s a good boy.
@Dell: the Catholic Church is not a cult, why do you keep saying that?
@Seamus Mac: True. With a cult, the scam artist who invented it is still alive.
@The Risen: thank you for your support
@Seamus Mac: oh it’s a cult alright, and that’s being kind. It is a money making, power hungry machine that cares nothing for followers or non followers alike.
@Michael: again Michael, let me reiterate that your affiliation or non affiliation with the Catholic Church is if no concern of mine and doesn’t take from the fact that you are talking nonsense about someone. As for me throwing toys out of a pram, the go to statement for all small minded people when someone puts them in their place, I believe you may be projecting there as that is pretty much what you were doing in the first place. Oh and for the record little man, I am a woman.
@Gus Sheridan: He certainly found solace in his job he now has just saying
@Jimmy Coltrane: they stated were their funding came from a year before SIPO came back to them. SIPO changed thier minds.
Amnesty fought and won the court battle. If you want to know thier intentions then their site has a full breakdown of current programs.
Any other questions or do you want a tinfoil hat Mr.Orban?
@not your ma:
I’d like to afford you the courtesy of a reply but sadly it seems that Journal censorship will not allow valid criticism of Colm O’Gorman or Amnesty Ireland.
A beacon of free speech we are told to believe.
@Jimmy Coltrane: their real agenda is to promote human rights in Ireland and abroad. They’re quite transparent about where they get funding from, that’s how you know about what you’re alluding to.
@Conor Paddington:
I’d like to afford you the courtesy of a reply but sadly it seems that Journal censorship will not allow valid criticism of Colm O’Gorman or Amnesty Ireland.
A beacon of free speech we are told to believe.
@Jimmy Coltrane: as much as I vehemently disagree with everything you said, including this nonsense you’re saying now (the Journal is not connected to Amnesty), I was quite enjoying that thread.
@Conor Paddington:
Cmon Conor, seriously, was there anything even remotely offensive in my comment which warranted censorship? Personally I do not believe so, actually I deliberately avoid posting anything offensive or abusive and always structure my remarks to remain within the bounds of polite civil surrealism..
I honestly don’t know why that comment was removed. There’s far worse contributions still remaining on the forum.
Maybe I should be more assertive and nasty from now on. WhatDyaThink?
@Jimmy Coltrane:
Anyway, glad to see you’ve recovered your composure from that drubbing last night, honestly I was starting to feel some sympathy for you and was actually thinking of coming to your defence and sorting out some of them boys.
I couldn’t agree more, the cover up continues by ignoring the people who were abused by the church, this feels like a celebration instead of seeking healing from abuse
@David Dineen: You think the church are the only ones covering up child abuse in this Country? The State facilitated abuse by allowing children to be put into homes run by the Church. The Mother and baby homes couldn’t have been let stay open without the States permission..
@Travis: And something that we don’t like to talk about is the fact that most were put in there by their own parents.
@Travis: Everyone else is doing it so why can’t we.. What a defence.. Maybe you are young and don’t remember how much control the church had over this country.. McQuaid might as well have been Taoiseach back in the day. This would never have been as bad as it was if the church was as pathetic as it is now.
@Michael: under social duress created by the church in the first place.
@Travis: so the church gets off then ?
@Michael: of course we talk about it. It was the Catholic ideology at the time that was the dominant feature of Irish society that told them it was the right thing to do
@Michael: Agree, but going back to these times a conservative priest run country existed. At an age when I can remember any but of decent or criticism of the Church and State carried penalties in the workplace or if attending school. A priest preaching love and forgiveness supported by the local politician, used this propaganda to keep a largely uneducated population under control. A propaganda machine that the Nazis would have been proud of .
Seperate church and state in this country, stop the control of the Catholic Church on our national broadcasting network now there’s a start .
@Deirdre Gosson: What country do you live in?
@Michael: Most likely Ireland, The republic of. A post Catholic country and a lot better for it.
@Michael: the Angelus for one
@Deirdre Gosson: ???
@Michael farrelly: the people’s angelus
@Seamus Mac: which people? . It’s not mine.
@Dell: it’s called the people’s angelus in an attempt to be inclusive or something. Sorry you don’t feel included Dell.
While all the attention is on the failures of the Catholic Church the other horrible fact of majority of abuses in families by fathers, mothers, uncles, family friends goes under the radar. Where is the organised outrage on this?
@John Campbell: I guess there is no organised outrage because familial abuse is not facilitated and covered up by a worldwide organisation. Worse still, an organisation the claims to be a moral authority.
@John Campbell: Translation-”Hey,look over there”.
Why don’t you organise something to combat the things we should be more outraged by John,and in the meantime allow the survivors of institutionalised abuse to be heard without your pathetic attempts at distraction?
@Billy Fulton: Because access to health care is a human right, and like it or not, abortions fall under health care for women, and in any case it’s not your choice, but every pregnant woman’s choice, whether to carry their pregnancy to term, or not, you have no say over what a woman can do with her body, or not, so get off your moral high horse
@John Campbell: Granted abuse was carried out at every level of society..The point is the Catholic church, a religious empire deliberately covered up and all but condoned the crimes of it’s appointed priests. A happy cartel between church and State existed in keeping a population under control.
@Larissa Nikolaus: My dear girl, I asked about the baby’s human rights. Why do women feel ashamed when they seek abortions? Why do they hide their faces? Is it not that we all feel ashamed when we do something wrong? And abortion is wrong. Whether you like it or not, abortion was universally condemned until comparatively recently. Even Marie Stopes was opposed to abortion. So why do it? A golden eagle’s egg demands a 200,000 euros fine if destroyed. Why would you destroy the fruit of a woman’s womb? Is it not valuable?
This is an international event celebrating the family. It is terrible what happened to Colm, but not everything has to be about him.
@Robert Dowling: What about gay families etc?? The pope has refused to meet with Christian LGBT groups here
@Robert Dowling: read Com O’Gormans thread in full. It’s not about him. His story represents 100s of victims
@Robert Dowling: Take the sand out of your head
Colm o Gorman. Organise a protest
U will get lots of support.
This smiling goody two shoes is cut from the same cloth as all the other popes.
Power and wealth dominates!
@Teresa Hehir O Murchu: “O’Gorman is organising a demonstration at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin at 3pm on Saturday 26 August to coincide with the Pope’s visit.”
Reading not your strong point???
It’s amazing and extremely disappointing that the leader of an organisation that has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt to have introduced institutionalised child abuse all over the world, would not have time to address the single most important reason why so many Catholics have lost their faith in their church. Not confronting the issue head on is why it has been allowed to continue and grow as a cancer within the Church.
@David Knight: well said! Unlike the last Papal visit there will be opposition to it. Never ever again will the RC church have the mind control it once had. Not meeting abuse survivors is a huge mistake. Will this Pope pay its victims the overdue compensation when he visits…
Well he should blood well make the time and the Vatican should be covering All expenses of the trip not the taxpayer!
@Sea Graham: What they should have done was to have the event geared towards abuse victims rather than towards ‘the family’ (the ideal, as the RC define it). Much better to avoid the pious generalities and focus on the different and complex relations between ‘the family’ and abuse. It would have been morally right and courageous. It would have indicated a prasieworthy and long overdue recalibration of priorities. It might have changed people’s minds about the church. A huge opportunity missed.
@Jimmy Coltrane: You must have missed the high court ruling the other day Jimmy but any comment on the actual piece or is engaging in whataboutery on a subject as serious as paedophile priests and the subsequent cover up your main goal here?
@Tom Thumb:
I’d like to afford you the courtesy of a reply but sadly it seems that Journal censorship will not allow valid criticism of Colm O’Gorman or Amnesty Ireland.
A beacon of free speech we are told to believe.
The Pope should hand over a cheque for €1 billion when he lands in Ireland.
@Fred Coloe: for a start
@Jimmy Coltrane: That’s your take on this? Really?
I’d love to question parents as to why they left their daughters in the mother and baby homes for century’s and never insisted on seeing them. Society didn’t care, they were just happy not to be responsible.
Parents didn’t want to hear of clerical abuse they actually would throw their child out for telling them or beat them to stay quiet. There are a lot of people answerable to these victims.
@Pajo Mata: there are, but let’s start at the source shall we?
@Dell: the source as always are the parents.
These parents in the wider society, didn’t have the time, education or wherewithal to take good care of children. They never got to know them. Children were beaten, psychologically, sexually and physically abused at home. Some were forced into convents, the missions and priesthood to be rid. Parents were extremely proud of their child in the church. These priests, brothers and nuns are people. Human beings. However there were also damaged by parents, extended family and society.
They like their victims were cast out by parents, couldn’t return to the home as it was shameful. They were damaged too.
Society very much values and cherishes children today “mostly”. Parents protect, love and care for their kids-they fight for their best interests.
@Pajo Mata: the source is still the church which brainwashed and indoctrinated the people for centuries! Without the church dogma people wouldn’t have been ashamed of their pregnant daughters and wouldn’t have sent them away.
The church brought those twisted and shameful morals on the people!
@Matt Beaumont: if it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to abuse him.
Read my above point. It was the people who INSISTED on giving power to the church, encouraged it and wouldn’t hear otherwise. People turned a blind eye. People did not want to know.
Somethings never change, just like now- people believe what suits them to believe. People don’t want to see the whole picture, if it suits them to blame the minority- then that’s what they’ll convince themselves in order to cleanse themselves of any responsibility.
All it takes for evil to exist is for good people to do nothing.
@Pajo Mata: not sure what point you’re trying to make Pajo. You seem to be absolving the CC of responsibility. While you’re right that everyone turned a blind eye it’s a chicken and egg argument – what came first – people kneeling to the church or the church requiring people to kneel?
Indoctrinating children from a young age, controlling schools and hospitals allows the church to establish huge sway in a country. This allows them power within the home and subsequently within governments. That’s what happened here.
@Stephen Adam: that’s all I want is for people to not just blame the church. They didn’t act alone.
I guess what I’m saying is that the abusers were victims too, and it should be recognised. I would like to apportion blame to society.
The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. Parents were not helpless. Society was not helpless, in fact by all accounts they facilitated.
It’s well documented that people knew what was going on and did nothing, and in a lot of cases, lay people covered up the churches sin (the sinners being just people themselves, men and women handed into the church as mere children, abused, conditioned and with lack of insight into what they were doing). Pray for the clergy- they need it.
@Pajo Mata: the abusers were not victims too. That is one of the most absurd statements I’ve ever heard in my life.
@Dell: how do you know? It’s easier to just blame the church for everything but it’s lazy.
@Pajo Mata: Not sure if you grew up in Ireland in the 50s, 60s, I did . Luckily I enjoyed the freedom before the reality of this dark conservative state became apparent to me. In reality it was a place controlled by Church and State. Parents had very little choice in those days. The perceived (Shame) which was encouraged by the Church supported by the state was the norm. At the same time crimes were committed by the Church, covered up by successive governments. Now a more educated people can see through this fallacy of a regime that destroyed this country. It’s the Church that should be on its bended knees looking for forgiveness,
@Seamus Mac: take your head out of the sand for crying out loud. There is written documentation from the highest ranks of the church stating how abuse was to be handled.. Let me give you a little hint, it did not involve protecting victims or informing the police. The church had an actual policy to protect pedophiles. It is easy to blindly follow your religion and ignore evidence and the suffering of others but it is ridiculously selfish and lacks any kind of empathy or understanding.
@Pajo Mata: “I guess what I’m saying is that the abusers were victims too”
Are you f’ing serious? Ah the poor priests and nuns were victims, are you actually serious?
@Dell: I think you misunderstood my comment
@Seamus Mac: no seamus, I didn’t. And pointing fingers at everyone and anyone apart from the people who actually abused and covered it up is the act of an apologist.
@Dell: I did no such thing.
Popes JP11 and Pope Bededict have apologised for what happened. They condemned what happened. They promised to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Unfortunately that’s not enough for some. They want heads to role. Let’s be honest. Colm O’Gorman and many people on here will not be happy if the Pope apologises. They won’t be happy until they see him behind bars and the Catholic Church dismantled and eradicated from the planet. That’s how angry some people are. It’s very sad but understandable.
@Sean O’Shaughnessy: “They condemned” “They promised” They facilitated paedophiles by moving them around and exposing more vulnerable and innocent children to their evil abuse, and then shielded the abusers !!. Their words were in direct contrast to their actions. This organised crime gang should have their assets seized and the leaders prosecuted.
@Sean O’Shaughnessy: its too late for apologies from this evil organisation
@Gus Sheridan: Really? Too late for an apology? Don’t be so closed minded. It’s never too late for an apology, on any issue.
@Sean O’Shaughnessy: their promises mean nothing because nothing has changed! And we don’t even know yet how many children have been abused in Africa, South and Middle America or Asia by the thousands of priests being sent there by the church to cover up the horrendous crimes they have committed in Europe or the US.
It‘s not only sexual and physical abuse but also slavery and human trafficking this organisation has been and still is involved on a large scale! If this were a secular organisation you‘d be the first one to demand it to be dismantled and the people responsible sent to jail but as soon as it is the church different rules seem to apply!
@Sean O’Shaughnessy: you are a clown, the damage done by these monsters will stat with their victims for life.
A bit like getting an apology from the Mafia….worthless.
@Sean O’Shaughnessy: They apologised. They condemned. But noticeably they have utterly failed in their own promises, and more importantly legal obligations, to pay the outstanding 1.3 billion they owe for institutional child abuse in this country. So no Sean, until they at least do that, which is only a first step in actual trying to make good in some way what they are responsible for, they give no indication that they are actually remorseful.
@Sean O’Shaughnessy: The R.C should be made pay the people who are going through hell from pass Abuse
@Sean O’Shaughnessy: apology / condemn … what’s needed is genuine remorse …. then there can be healing …. and maybe forgiveness …. that’s not too much to expect from victims such as Colm O Gorman …
That’s not near happening as I mentioned above as the vast majority of church hierarchy really have no understanding …. and sure how could they …..
People often talk about an apology … in order for an apology to be given I feel there must be genuine remorse….. and unfortunately my honest opinion is that this is not possible from the church hierarchy …. because to feel remorse there must be genuine understanding …., and from my own personal experiences dealing with church hierarchy there is no deep understanding … not near it … so apologies are meaningless
@Damian O’ Farrell: Exactly, the RCC is not sorry that the abuse happened, they’re sorry they were caught
@Larissa Nikolaus: Of course the Church is sorry child abuse happened. Individuals within its structure have set its raison d’etre back for years. Dreadful damage has been done to its mission and many young people have been irreparably damaged. But there is now a strong commitment to safeguarding and the structures in the Church to prevent abuse are second to none.
@Billy Fulton: “But there is now a strong commitment to safeguarding and the structures in the Church to prevent abuse are second to none.”
I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one.
Cannot believe that the Pope may not meet abuse survivors. Given the reason for his visit (the support of the Church for families). Families usually, if not always, include children! Any individual with a shred of empathy would have put the support of the one-time children who were abused at the top of the duties associated with the visit (not activities – DUTIES)! After all his primary role and it is in his title so he should never forget it is – servant of the faithful. “Servant of the Servants of God”!
Sure what would they know about children? The organisation that introduced celibacy and doesn’t want to think about it?
The strange case of Colm O’Gorman.
@Jimmy Coltrane: Global agenda? Their formal title is Amnesty International and Amnesty Ireland is clearly and obviously linked to human rights networks across the globe. You may choose to be an opponent of (other people’s) human rights but attacking Amnesty for having an international agenda on the grounds of lack of transparency is the weakest possible argument.
Let Pope Francis cancel his trip to Knock and spend the time with some of the survivors.
@Francis Mc Carthy:
No. Actually I think Vicky Phelan is the Irish woman of the century.
@Jimmy Coltrane: just one word Tuam…..
I think people should take a look carefully and examine ‘Amnesty International’ and their current direction verses there their grass root intentions.
When I hear Colm O’Gorman been interviewed, I hear an angry, bitter, sad, and narcissistic individual.
@Jaci Black: he is still right though when it comes to the church
@Jaci Black: let me take two guesses a) you’ve never heard what happened to him when he was a young boy, & b) you are “pro life” ..
@Matt Beaumont: This Colm OGorman guy has carved out a nice little earner for himself with the “abuse ” industry . Amnesty International was initially formed to deal with a broad spectrum of issues , not as a platform for a virulent and bigoted attack on the Catholic Church , while ignoring the involvement of other Churches and organisations !
Why is Amnesty International, an organization set up to campaign for people imprisoned for their political beliefs, involved in domestic matters?
@Josh Hanners: Because the institutionalized abuse of children by the RCC violated human rights, that’s why, try to think, instead of using your brain to cool your blood
@Josh Hanners: I’m actually quite a pleasant an easy going person, I just have no time for eejits like yourself
@Larissa Nikolaus: You may think you’re a pleasant person but you’re not.
@Jimmy Coltrane: bit of whataboutry here this morning? This guy is the leader of his church. His agents, priests, nuns etc abused and sexually assaulted children who were in their “care” and it showed how much that mean by stuffing hundreds of childrens bodies into a sewer. The very least this character can do is to meet survivors and also pay the compensation that is long overdue to them.
I read Colm’s tweets last night. Apart from
testimony of other victims on the thread, one of the things that upset me is that so many people had no idea of Colm O Gormans story and who Sean Fortune was. And then I come on here and read the vitriol towards him. The bandwagonning comparison to that hideous little man Charles Haughey climbing on the podium of the Tour de France beggars belief. I often don’t agree with Colm O Gorman on issues Amnesty campaign for or against but he has every right to bring his and others stories to the fore when the leader of the church that caused some much pain comes to these shores .
@Sara McSweeney: If he wants to do that in a private capacity, that his fine. It is hard not to feel he is repositioning and rebranding Amnesty to suit his own agenda. In other words, yet another charity being run as a personal fiefdom. He has to go and Amnesty Ireland need to get a new leader. I am sure his opinions on matters such as the church are heartfelt, but he has lost the run of himself by being in the job too long.
@Dave Slater: So, the institutionalized abuse of children is not a human rights issue, is that what you’re implying?
@Dave Slater: this has nothing to do
with his role in Amnesty International. I referred to Amnesty making the point that I don’t always agree with them but his abuse or that of any victim is not a private matter unless he chooses it to be which unfortunately many do as they don’t feel able to speak out. He has spoken eloquently for over 20 years for victims of sexual abuse and not just those abused by clerics but the 1 in 4 people who are estimated to have been abused as children in this country. I am very grateful to him for this
@Larissa Nikolaus: I am not suggesting that at all.
@Jimmy Coltrane: sure you do..
@Jimmy Coltrane: Amnesty are a conspiracy from the candle making cabal elite.
@Alan McDonald: Have you got enough tinfoil?
Amazing how any mention of catholic church child abuse results in the god squad going into full blown ‘LOOK OVER THERE’ mode with added whataboutery.
Little wonder the church were able to get away with so much over the years.
@The Risen: it’s disgusting isn’t it? These people who are so determined to keep their church that they will do anything including turn a blind eye to child rape and the cover up of same. They will even point to people who did the very same thing as they are doing now during the times of the laundries etc and try divert blame from the church to those people in an attempt to take away church blame. The irony.
@The Risen: discredited God squad attempting to defend a child trafficking,sex abuse organisation,
@The Risen: It’s insanity.
@Jimmy Coltrane: Why don”t you address what he said as opposed to introducing an irrelevancy?
@Jimmy Coltrane: what has that got to do or compared to the raping of children you pleb
@Jimmy Coltrane: shocking, isn’t it. That the so-called “liberal agenda” matches up so close to the agenda of one of the most respected human rights organisations in the world. We must all be monsters.
Amazing how people are so selective when it comes to peadophila.
Yes the head of the catholic church who covers up and shelters pedophiles who has no time for the victims but has time for such filth……but the brainwashed irish sheeple will go to the Phoenix park in their droves.
@PaddyOverABarrel: stand and mock them as they enter the park. Borrow a sheepdog and have it with you. It is his flock.
@Daveinson: the constitution allows freedom of religion
@marg fitzgerald: Your ilk likes to goon about freedom of religion, but you conveniently forget, that freedom of religion also means freedom from religion, and that church and state should be separate, and just because you have freedom of religion it does in no way excuse the cover up of the child abuse committed by the RCC
Has any protests been organised or would they be allowed?
@rusty: yes several , look on Facebook for the say nope go the pope group
@Jimmy Coltrane: what has that got to do with the church covering up crimes by the clergy, or do you think everyone should just forget about it and move on ???
If Colm O Gormans EGO didn’t get in the way of everything…. gosh he can be painful with his own squeaky clean motivations too..
Colm did well since his brief stint with PD’s lol
@Jimmy Coltrane: Nice distraction tactic!
Watched the movie Spotlight last night based on true events in the Boston Archdiocese, the Catholic Church is a cesspool of liars and apologists for paedophiles.
@Gus Sheridan: sorry Terry, comments meant for that other character
Colm o Gorman a nasty peace of work has tarnished amnesty with his own agenda
I hope he watched Spotlight on RTE last night. Disgusting.
@Daveinson: ‘Cardinal’ burnie law is photographed here http://www.ourladyisgod.com/i-masonic-handshake.php
The Pope should first meet these people even before he catches sight of the park if he is genuine
@Alan Scott: he and his organisation are evil
@Gus Sheridan: bit harsh gus
@Seamus Mac: in what world is the systematic cover up of abuse and the protection of pedophiles not evil? You really don’t think that is evil? Because you know there is proof that this is what they did and are continuing to do. What did you say earlier? That it is lazy to blame the church? It is a lot worse than lazy to willfully ignore evidence of abuse and a policy of protecting the abusers.
Well said. It’s disgusting how those kids were forgotten then and forgotten again now. People seem to care more about celebrations than children been abused..
@Terry McClatchey: stick to the point you dummy, stop trying to change the subject, your RC church is a vile cult who continue to try to brush their past under the table.
Maybe he should throw his hat in the ring for The Aras! Then, we’ll never hear the end of him!
Ironicp coming from a dodgy man like him
If he is not willing to meet abuse survivors then his invitation should be revoked
@Jimmy Coltrane: they have and they do. Next?
@Jimmy Coltrane: probably the most transparent organisation in the world and have done more good in their short time when compared to the rcc. Gorman is grt at PR, he needs to be to try get politicians and istitutions like the rcc to listen. None the less, keep your foil hat securly fastened and hide out in that concrete basement!
Hopefully he’ll do some stuff off the rumoured “Truth and Reconciliation” album but it’ll probably mostly be his “Denial and Hypocrisy” greatest hits.
Colm it’s freemasonry. end of.
@Sean Conway: what is?
@Gus Sheridan: The catholic church!!
Blah blah blah insert popular comment here blah blah blah. Sit back and smile at all my likes. Sums him up really.
If you are not willing to talk about the elephant in the room Frances, do us all a favour and just stay at home.
RTÉ could stop broadcasting the stupid Angelus at 6 pm every bloody night. Beating the Catholic Drum like it’s stuck still in the 70s.
@Joe Kelly: whats the point of that rubbish anyway?
@Conor Paddington: Well said.
I had great hope for the church when they had a meeting on what to do about child sex abuse by priests and they talked about what to do going forward in the 7th century it,s sad they went with cover it up maybe last 1400 years would have being different if they went with stopping it
Oh shut TFU and try and help some political prisoners in Iran or Turkey, “ Likely to be perceived as toxic” I hope to Fek it is, you toxic troll.
What about those that were never abused and jumped on the bandwagon to get the handout , its not a oneway street .
CEO of child abuse international should be arrested when his plane lands and deported.
@Bat Daly: Very boring movie.
Thanks to the PDs Gorman has free parking in Leinster House –not a bad perk for a month or two as a Senator
Please. Enough. Get on with your life.
@Jimmy Coltrane: I here ya, this link is necessary or essential in learning who owns all sides of nearly every issue http://www.ourladyisgod.com/i-masonic-handshake.php
@Peadar117: don’t the church think the internet is evil???? Anything the church write is fiction
@john: Come again???? your looking at a 21st century Summa Theologica by a real Catholic.. cheers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRzJZvrZwsc
It is believed that George Soros helped to get this pope elected, politics, religion and money? The Catholic church now is a business and profits matter as well as protecting your own???
Are you the OGorman that got
Smith on his road of Debauchery .
Shameful hide about abuse that all previous pope know it
@Brian Flavin: He feels that guilty he’s the only pope who has never visited Monte Sant’Angelo and is located in the hills on the Gargano promontory, on the east coast of south-central Italy beside him. I just feel that this pope doesn’t believe in the catholic religion as strongly as others around him?
have your say