IRELAND
Irish Examiner
Saturday, March 08, 2014
Priests who abused children should be forgiven for past “mistakes” and allowed return to ministries where they have authority over minors, a Catholic Church group has claimed.
By Fiachra Ó Cionnaith
Irish Examiner Reporter
The stance, which has sparked a backlash from abuse survivors who said nothing has been learned from recent scandals, was made by the Association of Catholic Priests after child protection watchdog talks. Speaking after meeting with the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI) on Wednesday, the association said it is wrong to block priests who have “made a mistake or mistakes in their earlier life” from returning to the altar.
And while the move contradicts basic child protection standards, the group claimed priests who show “no pattern of re-offending” must be given “mercy”.
“Many older priests are excluded because of a mistake or mistakes they made in their earlier life, and where there was no pattern of re-offending. We questioned the justice of this, and the witness from a church, one of whose core teachings is mercy and forgiveness,” wrote the association, which represents 25% of priests.
In the same statement the group’s spokesman, Fr Tony Flannery, suggested audits of child protection standards in dioceses are potentially mistreating priests and bishops — not protecting children from harm.
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