IRELAND
Deutsche Welle
Among victims of clerical child abuse in Ireland, response to Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation has been muted. John Kelly of SOCA (Survivors of Child Abuse) told DW why he thinks the pope didn’t meet his obligations.
DW: What was your first reaction to the resignation?
John Kelly: Well, for myself and the majority of victims of clerical abuse, it was one of indifference. For the very simple reason that he won’t be missed. There was great hope that this particular pope was going to do a lot, and to challenge things within the college of cardinals … to do something about child abuse. He did apologize and that is fantastic, but in the end it gave us false hope, and it was all rhetoric, because it was never followed up with anything of substance.
Why do you think he failed to do more?
Well, this Pope is an academic, and what he is very good at is protecting the institution of the church. But I believe that he is actually responsible for compounding this abuse by not tackling it more fully.
I wrote a number of letters to the pope, and in one, I said, “look, you have it in your power to do something, these victims haven’t got justice with the state authorities, and you have it in your power, under Canon Law to do something. You can either disband or suspend their licence, there are loads of penalties available to you,” but even then he didn’t do that, which is very depressing, and leaves me with no hope for the future.
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