Magdalene Refusal - This Is about Much More Than Money

Irish Examiner
July 19, 2013

http://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/editorial/magdalene-refusal--this-is-about-much-more-than-money-237276.html

The Catholic Church is as imaginative and determined as any fallen Celtic Tiger high roller when it comes to trying to protect assets.

It has shown it is prepared to put resources beyond the reach of those entitled, morally and legally, to compensation from the Church.

Earlier this month the New York Times reported how Cardinal Timothy F Dolan, then based in Milwaukee, requested and got Vatican permission in 2007 to move nearly $57m (ˆ43.5m) into a cemetery trust fund to protect the cash from victims of clerical sexual abuse.

Cardinal Dolan, now archbishop of New York, denies trying to ring-fence funds. However, in a 2007 letter to the Vatican he argued that by transferring the assets, “I foresee an improved protection of these funds from any legal claim and liability”.

Irish orders, particularly the Christian Brothers and the Sisters of Charity, have taken considerable assets off the table by transferring them to various trusts. Echoing that philosophy in recent days the four congregations who ran Magdalene laundries announced that they will not make a financial contribution to the taxpayer fund set up for former residents. The Mercy Sisters, the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity, the Sisters of Charity and the Good Shepherd Sisters had been expected to make a contribution to a ˆ58m scheme.

Their refusal follows a pattern. After the Murphy and Ryan reports were published it was proposed that the 18 congregations involved share an estimated compensation bill of ˆ1.3bn on a 50:50 basis with Government. Last year, there was a shortfall of ˆ200m on the part of the religious orders.

The situation has been made even more fraught by a recent court ruling on land zoning which enhanced that value of lands owned by the Sisters of Mercy and the Sisters of Charity considerably. The orders succeeded in getting a veto on development in regards to properties in Dublin overturned.

Even if the Government’s refusal to be swayed by the Catholic Church’s opposition to abortion and Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s trenchant criticism of the Vatican’s role in child abuse scandals has influenced this refusal, and it is hard to think that it has not, it still seems an error of judgement of spectacular proportions on the part of these orders. Though the financial aspect of this unfortunate impasse is not irrelevant, something much larger is at stake.

It is not overstating the case to suggest that the Catholic Church’s place as a legitimate, respected part of this society is brought into question by the refusal. Its clergy, at all levels and of both genders, offer their primary allegiance elsewhere, but if they are to remain an influential force in this society, more often than not for the good, they cannot ignore responsibilities incurred by appalling behaviour. Neither can these responsibilities be modified to match the waning — or growing — influence of the Church in society.

All of society must accept some responsibility for these abuses, but as a primary player the Catholic Church must shoulder a greater burden than most. The Catholic Church’s role and influence in this country is at an historically low level. If the four Magdalene orders maintain their refusal on financial support for the compensation scheme that position will diminish further. And, as in every other step along the road to the destruction of the Church’s reputation and the respect afforded it over the centuries, they will have no one to blame but themselves.