The Universe - Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales
February 6, 2008
http://www.totalcatholic.com/pages/news_pages/0602martinconnell.html#
The Archdiocese of Dublin is expected to discover tomorrow whether a High Court challenge by Cardinal Desmond Connell to withhold documents from an inquiry into child abuse will be upheld.
The Commission of Investigation into Clerical Sexual Abuse in the Dublin Archdiocese is examining how the Church handled allegations against a sample of 46 priests.
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Archbishop Diarmuid Martin had handed over all the files to the commission but his move was made the subject of a legal challenge by Cardinal Connell who claimed that certain letters were covered by solicitor-client privilege and should not have been released.
A High Court injunction was made which prevented the files from being considered by the commission pending a further hearing. The cardinal's action angered some members of the clergy in Dublin as well as representatives of victims' groups who were highly critical of the move.
But speaking to journalists before a function at Dublin City University on Monday, Archbishop Martin said he hoped that the good work that had been done in the archdiocese to address the issue of child protection, and the setting up of structures, would be remembered in spite of the legal problem.
The archbishop said he had received many emails and calls from victims of abuse who were finding this "a difficult time" and hoped that the commission would be able to continue with its work as soon as possible.
Archbishop Martin said he was "optimistic" that the inquiry into clerical child abuse would continue despite the High Court challenge.
He admitted that he had been surprised by Cardinal Connell's court action and was unclear of the legal reasons behind the move.
However, the archbishop said the hearing – which was adjourned on February 4 for one week – involved a very small number of files.
When asked if the cardinal's move was damaging to the image of the Catholic Church, or if it could be seen as an attempt to withhold information, he said that would be wrong.
"I think that there is a huge amount of material there and the commission has had the ability to speak to many people," Archbishop Martin said.
"I'm optimistic that the commission will do its work and I hope that it will be able to complete it within the timeframe that's foreseen so that we get to the aim that we really want."
The archbishop said he had been given a few hours' notice of the court challenge by the cardinal.
"I said I was surprised but that I didn't know what the nature of the matter was," he said.
"He says that this is a very specific question about procedures in the tribunal and nothing else."
The archbishop confirmed that he had not since spoken to Cardinal Connell, who is understood to be recovering after a fall in Rome.
But he added that he felt sorry for the priests out in the archdiocese, doing their work on a daily basis.
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