IRELAND
The Meath Chronicle
THE Catholic Church in Ireland has been enduring a torrid time over the past month following the publication of the report into sexual abuse by clergy in the Diocese of Ferns. And now Ireland finds itself divided on where Church and State relations should go from here.
The revelations of child sexual abuse contained in the report and reported upon extensively in the media for the past several weeks have appalled, horrified and disgusted all right-thinking people and the culture of cover-up by the religious authorities that it exposed has left many contemplating their faith in the institutions and hierarchy of the Church. As the fallout continues, there have been calls for a clear division to be created between Church and State that have been fuelled by the strong attack on the Church by former PD junior minister Liz O’Donnell last week.
Ms O’Donnell, in one of the strongest attacks on the Catholic Church in Ireland ever, said people should not accept the fact that the Church would be truthful or capable of self-regulation and she demanded an end to the traditional deference shown to it by Government. She furthermore denounced the “unbelievable immoral silence” of the Vatican following the publication of the Ferns Report.