Response of diocese to the Feature Article in the Irish News of Thursday, 12 January 2012
Posted on 26. Jan, 2012
“Sex-offending priests are still paid by the Church”
The Irish News, Thursday 12 January 2012
Priests and people of the diocese of Clogher could be forgiven for being shocked and dismayed to read the above headline on the front page of the Irish News of 12 January 2012, and to learn, on reading the feature article, that it was referring to their own diocese. You are entitled to an explanation as to how this could happen.
At 10.23am on 4 January 2012 an urgent media inquiry was received by the diocesan office from the Irish News reporter who was later credited as the writer of the feature. The query, naming one of the priests in question, sought information on diocesan priests convicted of abusing children since 1975. It sought information on the status of these priests and, more specifically, if they had received and were continuing to receive financial assistance from the diocese and what was the source of this assistance. A response before 2.30pm was requested.
An initial response was drafted confirming that since 1975 two of the priests working in the diocese had been charged with abusing children. The response stated that they were convicted (one of assisting), served a jail sentence, were out of ministry since and that neither was “in receipt of financial assistance from the diocese.”
Following a phone call from another Northern Diocese, which had received a similar query, it was decided to take legal advice, as they had done, before responding to the Irish News. Our solicitor advised that Data Protection Legislation would not allow even negative information to be given on personal arrangements with the two priests concerned without their express permission. He advised that this should be stated, that the responsibility of the diocese under canon law should be mentioned, and he drafted a response accordingly which was sent in to the Irish News to try and meet the 2.30pm deadline.
As you may have seen, the Irish News drew its own conclusion from the response. Clogher,Armagh, Down and Connor “still financially support the men despite their convictions”, they said. In the special investigation feature the reporter states, “Three northern dioceses have confirmed that they are paying for the upkeep of six priests convicted of a range of offences” and “payments in Down and Connor, Clogher and Cardinal Brady’s Armagh Archdiocese have continued to be made even after priests found guilty of crimes have been laicised.”
It further states, “Meanwhile in Clogher ………the diocese is paying for the upkeep of two former priests, Jeremiah McGrath and John McCabe.” The feature said, “many priests are deeply concerned that monies from nonparishChurchfunds are being used and that it would be reasonable to think a bishop would take into account the moral and criminal gravity of the offence against children when making a decision.”
Victims of clerical abuse were also consulted and John Kelly, of Irish Survivors of Child Abuse, said “he was astonished that northern dioceses are still providing financial assistance to convicted priests, including those who have been laicised.
Mr. Kelly said the revelation would do nothing to reverse declining Mass attendance at Catholic Churches around Ireland.”
In view of the misinterpretation of our response, and the seriousness of the consequences in relation to the public, we contacted our solicitor who wrote to the Irish News on our behalf. He pointed out how the misinterpretation had created an “inaccurate and untrue report” which “had caused upset to the two people concerned, to the priests of the diocese, the lay faithful and, most grievously, to the victims of abuse. At no time, in any written or verbal statement, did the diocese confirm that the priests concerned were in receipt of any payment. The diocese indicated that, for legal reasons, it was not in a position to discuss the private arrangements of individuals. This remains the case… It was a decision by the reporter to falsely report that ‘the diocese is paying for the upkeep of two former priests.’ This statement is entirely untrue.”
Our solicitor confirmed to the Irish News that the “article contains serious and damaging inaccuracies” and he requested a “retraction and correction.”
In view of the lack of a positive response, I felt obliged to inform you of the facts and to explain the background as to how such a misleading and untrue headline could get so much prominence on a daily newspaper and how so many people could be disturbed by inaccuracies and misrepresentations in a feature covering three pages of the same newspaper and titled a special investigation.
I would like to assure you that no diocesan money has been used for the purpose reported. Since leaving priestly ministry the two priests in question have not been paid by the diocese nor are they receiving money from the diocese at present. Items of news which are matters of interpretation and presented as fact in a “special investigation” can and have seriously misled and caused grave hurt to many people, not least the victims of abuse. Since the Irish News have so far refused the request to correct these misinterpretations and untruths, I thought it best to offer you the facts and let you judge for yourselves, and to ask you to inform your parishioners, who may have accepted the wrong conclusion in relation to the use of their contributions to their parish and diocese.
+Liam S. MacDaid
