NORTHERN IRELAND
BBC News
June 15, 2020
Some abuse victims have called for the interim advocate for survivors of historical institutional abuse to resign after he assisted in a Catholic church service on Sunday.
Brendan McAllister was appointed to the role in July 2019.
Victims’ campaigner Margaret McGuckin said it was a “conflict of interests”.
Mr McAllister has said he was a candidate for ordination as a deacon in the Catholic Church in 2021.
He robed in vestments to assist in the liturgy at St Peter’s church in Warrenpoint, County Down.
Ms McGuckin, from Savia (Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse), claimed that it was a “big conflict of interest” since many survivors in the group are victims of clerical abuse in the Catholic Church.
“We knew last year he would be ordained as a Catholic Church deacon.
“We let it be as he wasn’t going to be ordained until after his role was over,” she said.
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