BELFAST (NORTHERN IRELAND)
Belfast Telegraph
February 9, 2018
By Malachi O’Doherty
Bishop John McAreavey’s apology over paedophile priest Malachy Finnegan was welcome but long overdue, writes Malachi O’Doherty
Malachy Finnegan was escorted to his grave by people who revered and respected him. We don’t all get a bishop to officiate in the ceremony.
He met his end in the knowledge and confidence that he was thought well of, that he had not been found out, that the young people he had molested and abused – physically, sexually and emotionally – had not ratted on him.
We don’t know the state of his conscience then, whether he was ashamed of himself, whether he trusted in God’s forgiveness, or if, harbouring his horrid secrets and believing in the teaching of his Church, he stared Hell in the face.
One of the questions over paedophile priests is whether they were believers at all, or just opportunistic hypocrites.
If you were cynical enough and wanted work that would give you access to children, the priesthood and the religious orders were your natural refuge.
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