US Lawyer Abused by Brendan Smyth Says Seán Brady Should Be Criminally Investigated

RTE News
May 4, 2012

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0504/leading-theologian-says-cardinal-brady-should-quit.html

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A victim of Fr Brendan Smyth has said Cardinal Seán Brady should not only resign but be investigated by secular authorities for possible criminal charges.

US lawyer Helen McGonigle was abused by the paedophile priest in the late 1960s in Rhode Island.

Speaking to BBC Ulster this morning, Ms McGonigle said she was "outraged" by Cardinal Brady's response to allegations in a BBC documentary broadcast this week.

'The Shame of the Catholic Church' claimed that Cardinal Brady did not pass on information about abuse to families of children involved.

Ms McGonigle said he had shown "arrogance and insensitivity".

The lawyer said the events of 1975 came after Smyth "had destroyed" her family, but said she had great sympathy for those who suffered in subsequent years.

Ms McGonigle said Cardinal Sean Brady's "duty as a human" was to protect children. She said the failure to act properly on Brendan Boland's complaint was "unforgivable".

Elsewhere, the Catholic Communications Office has rejected reports that Cardinal Brady was willing to resign two years ago over the affair.

A report in today's Irish Independent says that the Vatican rejected an offer from Cardinal Brady to step down.

Brady controversy about 'acceptance of responsibility'

Taoiseach Enda Kenny says it is not for him to determine who leads the Catholic Church, or any other organisation in Ireland.

"Clearly the controversy surrounding Cardinal Brady is about the acceptance of responsibility and it is the responsibility of the state to enact laws to protect children."

He said the Government had already appointed a senior Minister for Children and published legislation on mandatory reporting when it comes to the sexual abuse of children.

Meanwhile, one of the country's leading theologians has said Cardinal Brady has lost his moral credibility and should resign as the Catholic Primate of All Ireland.

Fr Vincent Twomey, a retired professor of moral theology at St Patrick's College in Maynooth, said there were issues arising from the current controversy that the Catholic Church must address internally.

The BBC documentary alleged that claims made by a boy in 1975 - to a church inquiry - were not passed on to parents of other victims or to gardaí or police.

Fr Twomey said that he thought Cardinal Brady should now step down for the good of the church.

The Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton has also called for the cardinal to resign.

Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Pat Kenny, she said: "He was a man in his middle 30s at the time who was a Doctor of Divinity.

"You could say at that stage that people like that were tremendously naiive. But he was highly educated. He also held a position in a school.

"I personally think that he needs to reflect on his position, and were he to ask me for my view on a personal basis, I would say his position is not really sustainable."