Damning report on Catholic abuse expected to be released today
November 26, 2009
Posted by:Jonathan Wheeler
The second report of an independent enquiry into child abuse in the Republic of Ireland is due to be published later today. It is expected to reveal an horrendous level of abuse within Catholic institutions in the Archdiocese of Dublin, and cover ups by the church authorities. There is expected to be clear evidence of abusing priests merely being moved from parish to parish, where they were free to continue to abuse children. Of course, such evidence is not restricted to the Catholic Church in the Republic. Similar allegations are being made against the Catholic Church in cases I am dealing with in England, and abuse of children in Australia (many sent from England) was the subject of a formal apology by the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd on the 16th November. The Chrsitian Brothers have a reputation as one of the worst offenders. The spot light on the Catholic Church's involvement should be a matter of moral horror at the highest level of that institution - their response is well overdue.