Child Sexual Abuse by Irish Priests

[Phinaeus]

I note the current discussions on the above topic on this site. However, they all seem to be based on the premise that this abuse has stopped. It hasn't. How closely psychologically screened now are would-be entrants into Irish seminaries? Not very closely at all. In fact, the screening that does take place is at best unprofessional and haphazard.

Talk to any group of Irish seminarians and you'll quickly see that a majority are homosexual (I don't have a problem with that) and a significant minority are seriously sexually deviant.

[Factorem]

Only last week I was at a parish meeting about protecting children. The Catholic Church are taking this matter very seriously indeed. That's not to say that no child will ever be abused again by some bad apple. I hope to God it will never happen again to any child, no matter whose care they are under.

[Phinaeus]

Only last week I was at a parish meeting about protecting children. The Catholic Church are taking this matter very seriously indeed. That's not to say that no child will ever be abused again by some bad apple. I hope to God it will never happen again to any child, no matter whose care they are under.

If they're taking it that seriously then I suggest that they implement a rule that no priest should ever again have unchaperoned access to a minor: if that means that the age for first confession is moved from 5 to 17 then all the better.

I think you should learn to be more discerning, Factorem, and see the difference between crocodile tears and a real motivation for change.

[Bobert]

Can a mod please lock this? Phinaeus is clearly a WUM.

[Mr Crowley]

Only last week I was at a parish meeting about protecting children. The Catholic Church are taking this matter very seriously indeed. That's not to say that no child will ever be abused again by some bad apple. I hope to God it will never happen again to any child, no matter whose care they are under.

The good auld 'bad apple' argument. Now where did I hear that before?

[Factorem]

Pathetic. Why are you insisting on using the child abuse issue within the Church to get cheap browning points? Given your posting record, you quite obviously have a disdain for anything Church-related.

This matter is deadly serious.

The Church has been through worse horrors before and they'll get through this one too with the full force of the clergy applied to the problem, backed up by a devoted faithful who will support them 100% in their endeavours.

[Lord Deputy of Listowel]

But surely the best approach must be to simply dispense with the clergy entirely as the State now finances school buildings and teacher salaries, the involvement of any religious institution in the education system has proved damaging, not least to the unfortunate kids that have suffered abuse.
Surely the safety and well being of the youngsters are paramount above any other consideration.

[Factorem]

But surely the best approach must be to simply dispense with the clergy entirely as the State now finances school buildings and teacher salaries, the involvement of any religious institution in the education system has proved damaging, not least to the unfortunate kids that have suffered abuse.
Surely the safety and well being of the youngsters are paramount above any other consideration.

And who'll take over, "the government"? The same crowd who can't even build a motorway from Dublin to Cork, let alone plan the orderly expansion of a suburban town?

I'd sooner have my children educated under the guidance of the Church than in some state-run school where anything goes.

[marmurr1916]

The Church has been through horrors?

I think you mean the children that priests and clergy raped and sexually assaulted have been through horrors.

Children have suffered: the Church did not do enough to prevent that suffering; it has not done enough to make amends for the suffering it has caused.

The Church has a lot to learn yet about justice, about repentance, about humility.

If you're truly religious, you'd better pray to your God that it learns.

[ArtyQueing]

But surely the best approach must be to simply dispense with the clergy entirely as the State now finances school buildings and teacher salaries, the involvement of any religious institution in the education system has proved damaging, not least to the unfortunate kids that have suffered abuse.
Surely the safety and well being of the youngsters are paramount above any other consideration.

Toatlly illogical statement - can you comment on the numbers of children abused by non-religious teachers? and would that justify closing of state schools?