'I was sexually abused in 1961' - Barnados Chief Executive (Main Forum)

by James, Australia, Thursday, May 03, 2012, 13:13 (385 days ago) @ desi

Mr Finlay was responding to the allegations in the BBC documentary that as notary in a 1975 church inquiry then Fr Seán Brady failed to pass on allegations of abuse to parents of some of the victims of paedophile priest Fr Brendan Smyth.

Mr Finlay said he found it “impossible to accept” that “a 35-year-old man with significant theological and moral training” could ask an abused boy the kind of questions he asked and “pass the notes on and do nothing further about it”.

I don't know if Mr. Finlay has ever been in a seminary, but if he truly believed that the only way to avoid the fires of Hell and to get to Heaven was to be a member of the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church, founded by Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity and the Creator of the Universe, he would have to take a threat of automatic excommunication seriously. Outside the Church, there is no salvation, particularly if you were inside it at one time. That was Fr. Brady's position.

While "obeying orders" is never an excuse, it is obvious from the facts that Brady was following Canon Law to the letter. But so was his bishop. That's why the police were not told. That is why the parents were not told.

I'm not so critical of Brady's actions in 1975. He was swimming in the clerical culture, in large part created by Crimen Sollicitationis. What is inexcusable is his blatant dishonesty NOW. He knows why both he and Bishop McKiernan could not tell the boy's parents, let alone the police. But, he won't say it, because the new conspiracy is to blame some dead bishop when all he was doing was following the same orders laid down in Crimen Sollicitationis that prevented Brady himself from telling the parents or the police.

The whole cover up under "pontifical secrecy" was designed to protect the good name of the Church. It has backfired spectacularly. But now there is a new conspiracy to protect the "good name" of the Church - keep the finger away from where it should be pointed, Josef Ratzinger, aka His Holiness Benedict XVI, the one who administered and reaffirmed the cover up policy for 30 years.