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  Discipline "Hateful" Priest, SNAP Says to Bishops

SNAP
July 28, 2011

http://www.snapnetwork.org/snap_statements/2011_statements/072811_discipline_hateful_priest_snap_says_to_bishops.htm

Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, SNAPdorris@gmail.com, +1-314-503-0003)

The priest who compared Irish leader Enda Kenny to AdolfHitler presents the nation’s Catholic hierarchy a stark choice.

Irish bishops can act irresponsibly, and respond with only words. Or they can act responsibly, and respond with harsh discipline.

They can pretend to lead, using unconvincing words. Or they can actually lead, using convincing deeds.

They can do little or nothing, and signal their employees that making hateful remarks about those who criticize church officials is OK. Or they can take decisive action, and signal their employees that making hateful remarks wont’ be tolerated.

For decades, the Irish church hierarchy has tried to intimidate those who expose clergy sex crimes and cover ups. It now has a chance to show - by actions, not words - that such intimidation is unacceptable. Let’s hope the hierarchy takes such action, and severely disciplines this hateful priest.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. We’ve been around for 23 years and have more than 10,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)

Contact - David Clohessy (+1-314-566-9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com), Barbara Blaine (+1-312-399-4747, SNAPblaine@gmail.com), Peter Isely (+1-414-429-7259, peterisely@yahoo.com), Barbara Dorris (+1-314-862-7688 home, +1-314-503-0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com)

http://www.thejournal.ie/heil-herr-kenny-parish-priest-compares-taoiseach-to-hitler-188175-Jul2011/

Heil Herr Kenny’: Parish priest compares Taoiseach to Hitler

6 hours ago 1,126 Views 46 Comments

ENDA KENNY HAS been compared to Adolf Hitler in a Mass bulletin issued by a parish priest.

The weekend parish newsletter in Togher, Co Louth was responding to the Taoiseach’s stinging criticisms of the Vatican last week. In an article headlined “Heil Herr Kenny!” Fr Thomas Daly wrote: “The last European leader to make such a blistering attack on the Pope was the ruthless German dictator Adolf Hitler.”

According to the Drogheda Independent, it also suggested there was now a “No Pope here” policy in Ireland and compared it to loyalist areas in the North, adding: “Perhaps we might try and find a way to build new bridges with the “Shankhill Road people” (sic).

A ‘No Pope Here’ sign on the Dail gates would definitely be a draw for Shankhill Road people and marchers from Portadown!

The article has drawn criticism in the local area. One resident told reporter Michelle O’Keeffe for the Irish Times: “Everybody in the area is talking about it. It is a bit much comparing the leader of Ireland to Hitler – the article went too far.”

However, Fr Daly yesterday told the Irish Daily Star (print edition) that the “Heil Herr Kenny” headline had been misinterpreted. “I regret the headline and the misunderstandings that might have arisen out of it,” he said. “I am not comparing Enda Kenny to Hitler.”

He added that he fully supports the child protection measures recommended in the Cloyne Report.

Enda Kenny told the Irish Daily Mirror (print edition): “I think that priest’s comment does not deserve the dignity of a comment from me.”

 
 

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