Tuesday, 21 December 2010
Belfast Telegraph
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Victims of clerical sex abuse have reacted furiously to Pope Benedict's claim yesterday that paedophilia wasn't considered an “absolute evil” as recently as the 1970s.
In his traditional Christmas address yesterday to cardinals and officials working in Rome, Pope Benedict XVI also claimed that child pornography was increasingly considered “normal” by society.
“In the 1970s, paedophilia was theorised as something fully in conformity with man and even with children,” the Pope said.
“It was maintained — even within the realm of Catholic theology — that there is no such thing as evil in itself or good in itself. There is only a ‘better than' and a ‘worse than'. Nothing is good or bad in itself.”
The Pope said abuse revelations in 2010 reached “an unimaginable dimension” which brought “humiliation” on the Church.
Asking how abuse exploded within the Church, the Pontiff called on senior clerics “to repair as much as possible the injustices that occurred” and to help victims heal through a better presentation of the Christian message.
“We cannot remain silent about the context of these times in which these events have come to light,” he said, citing the growth of child pornography “that seems in some way to be considered more and more normal by society” he said.
But outraged Dublin victim Andrew Madden last night insisted that child abuse was not considered normal in the company he kept.
Mr Madden accused the Pope of not knowing that child pornography was the viewing of images of children being sexually abused, and should be named as such.
He said: “That is not normal. I don't know what company the Pope has been keeping for the past 50 years.” Pope Benedict also said sex tourism in the Third World was “threatening an entire generation”.
Angry abuse victims in America last night said that while some Church officials have blamed the liberalism of the 1960s for the Church's sex abuse scandals and cover-up catastrophes, Pope Benedict had come up with a new theory of blaming the 1970s.
“Catholics should be embarrassed to hear their Pope talk again and again about abuse while doing little or nothing to stop it and to mischaracterise this heinous crisis,” said Barbara Blaine, the head of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/popersquos-child-porn-normal-claim-sparks-outrage-among-victims-15035449.html#ixzz18w8IlGmK
Inquiry into abuse is welcomed but victims still seeking apology
Belfast Telegraph
Thursday, 23 December 2010
They welcomed news of an inquiry into institutional child abuse in Northern Ireland, but victims are disappointed that there has been no commitment to an apology for what they suffered while in the care of religious organisations.
The victims have campaigned for months for a probe into clerical wrongdoing, similar to that which unmasked widespread cases in the Irish Republic.
Last week First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness finally announced that an inquiry was to be established, with a task force made up of nine departments headed by the Office of the
First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) and the Department of Health.
The task force will report by the end of March on meeting the needs of victims.
A legal firm representing a group of victims said yesterday, however, that the news that the Government has taken a significant step forward is positive, but survivors are also disappointed that there is no commitment at this stage to an apology.
McAteer & Co Solicitors said it is “concerned that the critical issues for survivors are addressed, such as a non-contentious redress scheme, counselling and services generally”.
A number of the legal firm’s clients are forming an abuse survivors group and the firm said it will be working with them “to help them formalise their campaign, as the inter-departmental group proposes to consult with various bodies”.
In May last year a report by the Ryan Commission revealed a catalogue of physical, sexual and emotional abuse in the Irish Republic by priests and nuns as well as attempts to cover up the truth and move offenders between parishes.
Northern Ireland victims have met the OFMDFM to seek a similar process to the Ryan Commission.
The victims have campaigned for months for a probe into clerical wrongdoing, similar to that which unmasked widespread cases in the Irish Republic.
Last week First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness finally announced that an inquiry was to be established, with a task force made up of nine departments headed by the Office of the
First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) and the Department of Health.
The task force will report by the end of March on meeting the needs of victims.
A legal firm representing a group of victims said yesterday, however, that the news that the Government has taken a significant step forward is positive, but survivors are also disappointed that there is no commitment at this stage to an apology.
McAteer & Co Solicitors said it is “concerned that the critical issues for survivors are addressed, such as a non-contentious redress scheme, counselling and services generally”.
A number of the legal firm’s clients are forming an abuse survivors group and the firm said it will be working with them “to help them formalise their campaign, as the inter-departmental group proposes to consult with various bodies”.
In May last year a report by the Ryan Commission revealed a catalogue of physical, sexual and emotional abuse in the Irish Republic by priests and nuns as well as attempts to cover up the truth and move offenders between parishes.
Northern Ireland victims have met the OFMDFM to seek a similar process to the Ryan Commission.
Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/inquiry-into-abuse-is-welcomed-but-victims-still-seeking-apology-15037455.html#ixzz18wD1r7qO
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