February 24, 2005

Church regrets row over donations

NORTHERN IRELAND
BBC News

The Bishop of Derry has said he regrets the "disquiet" caused by paying parishioners' money into a fund for victims of clerical sex abuse.

Dr Seamus Hegarty made the statement after parishioners complained donations were being put into a fund compensating victims of paedophile priests.

Parishioners were angry their money was being paid into the Stewardship Trust without their knowledge.

The revelations were made in BBC NI's Spotlight programme on Tuesday.

Parishioners learned their donations were being paid into the trust when the bishop was questioned on the programme.

The trust is a central church fund which compensates victims of paedophile priests and pays for legal costs associated with claims of clerical abuse against children.

Posted by kshaw at February 24, 2005 07:36 AM