Catholic Priests Requested to Pay 60 Euros a Month into a Fund to Cover Pay-outs for Clerical Abuse

The Pannone
January 12, 2012

http://blog.pannone.com/personal-injury-listing/personal-injury-blog/catholic-priests-requested-to-pay-60-euros-a-month-into-a-fund-to-cover-pay-outs-for-clerical-abuse

It has been reported by the BBC that Catholic Priests in a diocese in the Republic of Ireland have been asked to pay into a fund. This request was made by Rev Dermot Clifford, the Archbishop of Cashel and Emly diocese in the Republic of Ireland. A fund already existed to cover clerical abuse, but this is dwindling.

Curates have been requested to pay 50 euros per month and Parish Priests have been asked to pay 60 euros into the fund, to allow compensation to victims of Clergy Abuse.

The diocese said the request had stemmed from a recent meeting of the diocese’s Council of Priests, where it was suggested that the Archbishop make an appeal to Priests asking them to help restore the abuse fund.

It is not clear as to whether the fund had been used to pay settlements to victims of clerical sexual abuse. The fund was put into place five years ago to accommodate the recovery of the diocese’s costs arising from the investigations into clerical sexual abuse.

It is said by Gary O’Sullivan, editor of the Irish Catholic newspaper, that Priests are on very low salaries and that a lot of priests are very angry about their financial situation.

As specialist church abuse solicitors, we welcome any measures taken to prevent further clergy abuse from being able to take place and to help compensate victims of past abuse.

If you have been the victim of any form of sexual abuse, or believe that somebody in your care might have been abused, click here or call now on 0800 0384 384 to discuss your claim with an expert abuse solicitor on a strictly confidential and no commitment basis.