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	Time the Church Got Everything out in the Open Irish Post April 1, 2010 http://www.irishpost.co.uk/tabId/69/itemId/93/Time-the-Church-got-everything-out-in-the-open.aspx UNITED KINGDOM -- SUPPORT in Britain for the Pope, following more revelations about the Church's handling of the child abuse scandal, has come from Archbishop Vincent Nichols — the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. Archbishop Nichols states categorically that the Pope will not resign following calls to do so. The Archbishop says that it was the Pope who pushed forward substantial changes in Church law to make sure that priests who have committed abuse are defrocked and that sexual offences committed with anyone under the age of 18 would be a crime. The Pope, we are told, pressed very hard for these changes. And now it is the survivors' groups on both sides of the Irish Sea who are pushing hard for there to be a full inquiry into clerical sex abuse — a national investigation into what went on in each and every diocese in Ireland. Now is the time for everything to come out in the open — for the slow drip-feeding of information day-to-day, week-to-week, to stop and for there to be a concerted effort in bringing closure to what has surely rocked the foundations of the Church and the Emerald Isle — the renowned island of saints and scholars. Reluctance on the part of the Church in Ireland to bringing everything out in the open once and for all will do more damage than good as more and more start to lose faith in what was once considered to be the bedrock of our nation. Surely those in positions of power know that a full examination and scrutiny of what has happened is the only true way forward? Without that there can be nothing but the unfortunate diminishing of confidence in the Church, which for a large part does much good in many areas of society. However, it could be years before the full picture is painted and we can finally say it is done. International footballers must follow their heart PORTSMOUTH defender Marc Wilson told The Irish Post this week why he believes footballers born in the North should play for the Republic if they choose. He said: "It should be down to the player himself which country he wants to represent." Wilson's point may seem simplistic but in the context of the North it makes complete sense. Why should a player who's supported the Republic of Ireland all his life be forced to remain playing for another national side even if he represented them as a teenager? While the North's governing body in football is justified to feel aggrieved, can they really think it in their interests to make a player represent them when his heart is elsewhere? Should the Court of Arbitration for Sport rule in the Irish Football Association's favour then scores of talented footballers from the North risk missing out on playing international football because of their political and religious beliefs. Surely that would be a depressing outcome and one which cannot be allowed to happen.
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