IRELAND
The Times
Dearbhail McDonald
A CLINICAL psychologist who helped the Dublin football team to All-Ireland victory in 1995 has been approached by the Catholic church to help “steel” parish priests in advance of a damning report into clerical sex abuse.
Tom Moriarty, a clinical and sports psychologist who has also provided motivational counselling for the Tyrone and Wexford teams, has been asked by Eamon Walsh, the bishop of Ferns, to support priests in advance of publication of the report.
Led by Frank Murphy, a retired Supreme Court judge, the Ferns inquiry is the first state investigation into the Catholic church’s handling of clerical sex abuse allegations. Due to be published later this year, it is expected to reignite widespread public anger at the church’s handling of clerical sex abuse scandals.
Moriarty’s services, outlining his availability to counsel stressed priests, were advertised recently in an internal church newsletter. Yesterday Moriarty said it would be “inappropriate” to discuss his client base. The psychiatrist also works with companies who want to improve productivity, or to reduce stress-related absenteeism.