BishopAccountability.org
	Archbishop Nichols's Response to the Irish Child Abuse Report Is Perfectly Judged By Damian Thompson Telegraph May 20, 2009 http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/damian_thompson/blog/2009/05/20/archbishop_nicholss_response_ to_the_irish_child_abuse_report_is_perfectly_judged The record of the Irish Church in dealing with child abuse by clergy is disgusting, and I want to consider why in another post. But, particularly given that he's going to be installed in Westminster Cathedral tomorrow, we should note that Archbishop Vincent Nichols's reponse to ITV's questions about today's report was absolutely spot on: Responding to the report, the Most Rev Vincent Nichols, the new leader of Catholics in England and Wales, told ITV News: "It's very distressing and very disturbing and my heart goes out today first of all to those people who will find that their stories are now told in public... Secondly, I think of those in religious orders and some of the clergy in Dublin who have to face these facts from their past which instinctively and quite naturally they'd rather not look at. "That takes courage, and also we shouldn't forget that this account today will also overshadow all of the good that they also did." Asked whether those who perpetrated violence and abuse should be held to account, he said: "Yes they should, no matter how long ago it happened. "In this country now we have a very steady and reliable system of co-operation with police and social services who actually now hold us in good regard. "They know that we are reliable and trustworthy partners. Those that abused the trust that was placed in them should be brought to public account." Asked whether legal and police process should take place, he said: "Yes, absolutely. If the offences are such that demand that." Asked why abuse seemed more prevalent in the Catholic Church than other faiths, he said: "Every time there is a single incident of abuse in the Catholic Church it is a scandal. "And I'm glad it's a scandal. I would be very worried if it wasn't a scandal... I hope these things don't happen again but I hope they're never a matter of indifference." This is both a forthright and subtle reaction. Archbishop Nichols makes the point that Irish clergy and members of religious orders will have to show "courage" in confronting sins that may have been committed decades ago - but, crucially, he acknowledges that these discoveries will "overshadow all the good that they [priests and religious] did". That's a polite way of saying: sorry, guys, but your public reputation is pretty much ruined. Now live with it. As for England and Wales, +Vincent says that the Church now has a reliable and trustworthy system in place to handle accusations of abuse. That is true - now; it wasn't true a few years ago, and Archbishop Nichols was a key figure in forcing the Church to wake up to reality. And then the phrase that really jumps out. Referring to cases of abuse, he says every one is a scandal and "I'm glad that it's a scandal". We needed to hear that. If you're looking for any more evidence that the Holy Father picked the right man to succeed Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor, there it is.
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