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	Diocesan Sex Trial Hears of 'Improper Behaviour' By Dearbhail McDonald One in Four [Ireland] May 17, 2007 http://www.oneinfour.org/news/news2007/improper/ The first civil diocesan sex abuse cases to go to full trials featured dramatic evidence yesterday in the High Court. A former altar boy who claims he was abused by a priest in the Ferns diocese was asked in cross-examination if he knew it was "improper" for an altar boy to receive Holy Communion and serve Mass after masturbating another person. Three former altar boys from Wexford are suing Father John Kinsella as well as the Diocese of Ferns for negligence and breach of duty as a result of alleged child sexual abuse. The actions have been brought by Patrick Doyle, an Eircom technician of The Rookery, Bellefield, Enniscorthy; Mr Doyle's brother, Anthony; and Paul McGannon, of Ballinamuddagh, The Ballagh, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. Fr Kinsella rejects the allegations. Mr McGannon alleges that Fr Kinsella, then a curate in the parish of The Ballagh, Enniscorthy, sexually assaulted him between June 1993 and July 1994. Giving evidence on day seven of the civil trial, Mr McGannon said he knew it was a serious breach of Catholic doctrine to receive communion "outside of the state of grace". However, he claimed that, as Fr Kinsella was "raping" him as a young boy, the cleric should not have celebrated Mass either. Mr McGannon, who had once considered becoming a priest, said that he was unable to tell anyone about the alleged abuse. Complain "I was so afraid of what was happening, I did not complain about it," he said. Mr McGannon has claimed that in July 1994 Fr Kinsella and another man were in the sitting room of the parochial house. He says the other person caught him by his upper body, that Fr Kinsella unbuttoned his trousers and that he was buggered by Fr Kinsella. Prior to that incident, he alleges that Fr Kinsella had committed acts of gross indecency upon him at the parochial house and in Mr McGannon's own home. Mr Justice John Quirke is hearing all three cases in tandem in the High Court. They continue today. Dearbhail McDonald
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