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  Viewpoint: Lessons to Be Learned

Belfast Telegraph [Northern Ireland]
June 18, 2007

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/opinion/article2671013.ece

At the weekend, parishioners in the Fermanagh village of Rosslea heard from their bishop on the difficult subject of Fr Jeremiah McGrath.

McGrath was jailed last week for helping paedophile Billy Adams groom a 12-year-old girl for prolonged sexual abuse.

In a statement read at Vigil Mass, the Bishop of Clogher, Joseph Duffy, said McGrath's future in his order will be decided after the conclusion of all current and potential legal proceedings.

Bishop Duffy said it was obvious that some areas of McGrath's lifestyle fell short of what was expected of a priest. He committed himself personally to see what lessons can be learned from this case. The bishop is to be praised for his statement, and his pledge to learn lessons.

Fr Jeremiah McGrath did not merely fall short of what was expected from him as a clergyman, he is the very antithesis of what a priest should be. A lying, manipulative facilitator for a vicious paedophile, McGrath gambled heavily, drank to excess and spent many weekends away from his parish.

As part of any move to learn the lessons of this case, a full investigation should be launched into McGrath and his relationship with Adams.

 
 

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