A Priest Who Walks Tall While the Bishop Lies Low, Irish Independent, January 5, 2009

A Priest Who Walks Tall While the Bishop Lies Low

Irish Independent
January 5, 2009

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/a-priest-who-walks-tall-while-the-bishop-lies-low-1592017.html

Ordinary Catholics are stunned and outraged by the continuing scandal of clerical abuse allegations

The courageous 'walking priest', Father Michael Mernagh is due to arrive at the Pro-Cathedral in Dublin tomorrow at about 1.30pm, having walked from St Colman's Cathedral in Cork on his pilgrimage of conscience.

I hope as many people as possible turn out to welcome him to Dublin and to show solidarity with his mission.

Father Michael has been accompanied on parts of the route by victims of clerical abuse, including representatives from the pressure group One in Four, and by the South East Support Group in Youghal.

That is good: but it is important that ordinary Catholics who are not associated with any particular lobby should also bear witness. This walk has been a magnificent example of a man obeying the promptings of a Christian conscience, and doing what Christians are supposed to do: bear witness by deeds and actions.

Fr Michael felt that he, among others, had not sufficiently taken action against the paedophile scandals, and that the Bishop of Cloyne, Dr Magee, has not responded adequately to the events in his diocese.

I am sure many ordinary Catholics will greet Father Mernagh in Dublin; because many ordinary Catholics are stunned and outraged by the continuing scandal of clerical abuse allegations. They are stunned and outraged by Bishop John Magee's apparent ineptitude at managing the most recent report.

And how could the bishop declare that "we are in learning mode" about an ignominy that has dogged the Church since at least the early 1990s, when, following the arrest of Brendan Smyth, the media was awash with reports of sex charges against Catholic priests?

Take just one month's reports of improper conduct from the mid-1990s, published in November 1994: "A priest has been given a 15-month suspended sentence by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for sexually assaulting a male hitchhiker ...

"A Dublin priest has died in a gay sauna: two other priests [also present in the gay sauna] gave him the Last Rites ... Father Daniel Curran, a Catholic priest, has been jailed for seven years for abusing children ...

"The RUC says it wants to interview 30 Catholic priests and brothers in relation to child abuse. Nearly a dozen are in jail or under investigation ...

"Church silent on alleged assault by priest ...

"The Archdiocese of Dublin has refused to say whether it gave gardai information on the past activities of a priest who has been the subject of a garda investigation into an alleged sexual assault against a boy earlier this year ...

"Gardai have prepared a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions on the assault against the 13-year-old boy, which is alleged to have occurred in a hotel toilet following a funeral ... "

And so it went on, month after month throughout the 1990s. How could Bishop Magee say we are "in learning mode"? How long does it take to learn and correct the errors of the so recent past? Is he naive or is he incompetent, particularly in the area of communication skills?

Ordinary Catholics who lament the decline of the faith in which most people once placed such trust must often wish that Catholic bishops were permitted to marry. A wife would sharply inform a bishop in such circumstances: "Cop yourself on. You can't go around saying that kind of thing. It sounds as though you know nothing, and care less."

Bishop Magee may have done no wrong, in a technical sense, but there comes a time when a person in a position of responsibility has to shoulder the burden of his position and "do the decent thing".

It may be a somewhat frivolous comparison, but it may also be useful: when Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand committed their silly and obscene prank, the BBC radio producer responsible for the programme fell on her sword, on a principle of taking responsibility.

However, there is also another principle that we should bear in mind, in this matter as in all others: an allegation is not the same as a conviction. Any person, be they priest or pauper, be they suspected homicide or suspected terrorist, is innocent until found guilty.

Too often public discussions about 'clerical abuse' conflate allegations with convictions. To be accused of paedophile abuse is not the same as to be convicted of such a crime. Therefore, the clergy, and the Church, are entitled to avail of legal advice and to maintain prudence over matters of innocence or guilt until the accused is charged and convicted: or cleared.

Child sexual abuse is an appalling crime. But an allegation is still not proof. In Britain today, teachers now feel themselves to be highly vulnerable to allegations of child abuse, which may not be true, or may be exaggerated or inflated, or made for reasons of malice.

False allegations do happen, and particularly in a culture of rights, and of financial compensation. Prudence and judgment and the careful assessment of evidence are indeed called for. The world has condemned Bush's America for Guantanamo Bay. Many of the suspects held at Guantanamo have given rise to suspicions about their behaviour, being, for example, alumni of known extremist-terrorist training camps in Pakistan. And yet, the whole world agrees: these men should be regarded as innocent until proved guilty, and are entitled to a legal defence. The same principle applies to any person accused of child sexual abuse. An allegation is not a conviction.

In this respect, the Diocese of Cloyne was entitled to ask what allegations were being made against a priest of its diocese. They are also entitled to ask for legal representation.

But the bishop should have presented and managed matters better, more clearly and articulately, and perhaps more feelingly. The pilgrimage of conscience being made by Father Michael Mernagh is evidence of that, and the crowds who will greet him in Dublin tomorrow will be an indication of the response of the faithful.