Catholic Church in yet another child abuse scandal
June 22, 2011
Posted by:Jonathan Wheeler
Those of you like me who caught BBC1's programme last night "Abused: Break The Silence" couldn't fail to be moved by the testimonies of the brave people who disclosed the crimes against them by Catholic priest Kit Cunningham. Father Kit was a member of the Rosminians Catholic order and in the late 1960's taught at St Michael's School, Soni in what is now Tanzania. He later became an apparently much loved parish priest at St Ethelreda's in Ely Place and seemingly had many friends who had no idea about his abusive past. Shortly before he died in January, he returned his MBE to the Queen and wrote letters of apology to his victims. When Pope Benedict visited England last year, I understand he prayed for the victims in Westminster Cathedral, whilst at the same time the Rosminian order was denying compensation to those same victims for the clear crimes of Father Cunningham and four other priests of their order. The pain of those abused so terribly is palpable, but I find I am no longer surprised or shocked by the double standards of the Catholic Church and their continued policy of cover up and denial.