Permission for Roman catholic priests to marry and misgivings on child sex abuse have been the focus of recent concerns commented on by Bishop Edward Daly, Fr Brian D’Arcy, Fr Joe McVeigh who criticised the Irish state, and Fr Aidan Troy. And the Irish state is set to pay religious orders 30m euros for legal fees.
Bishop Daly
Allowing priests to marry would help ease the problems facing the Roman Catholic Church, a former bishop of Derry Edward Daly has said in his newly-published memoirs. Dr Daly, who was a bishop for almost 20 years, said there needed to be a place in the modern Catholic church for a married priesthood.
Dr Daly, 77, addressed the controversial issue in a new book about his life in the church, A Troubled See.
The former Bishop worked in Derry at the height of the troubles.
A photograph, showing the then priest waving a white handkerchief on Bloody Sunday, has become one of the most enduring images of the troubles.
The ancient clerical vow of celibacy has forced many good men to decide against joining the priesthood, Bishop Daly said.
“There is certainly an important and enduring place for celibate priesthood,” he wrote.
“But I believe that there should also be a place in the modern Catholic Church for married priesthood and for men who do not wish to commit themselves to celibacy.”
The vow dates back to the 11th century and was introduced, in part, to make sure clergy committed themselves to God alone.
“There will always be a place in the church for a celibate priesthood, but there should also be a place for a married priesthood in the church,” he said.
“I think priests should have the freedom to marry if they wish. It may create a whole new set of problems but I think it’s something that should be considered.”
Dr Daly said he found it “heartbreaking” during his term as Bishop when priests, or prospective priests, were forced to resign or unable to join the priesthood because of the celibacy rule.
A number of married Anglican clergymen who have converted to Catholicism have been given special dispensation to become priests.
But Bishop Daly said the time had come for widespread changes to the rules on celibacy within the church. Extracts of the 77-year-old cleric’s book – A Troubled See, Memoirs Of A Derry Bishop – have been published in the Irish News.
Fr Brian D’Arcy
One of Ireland’s best-known priests has spoken of his delight at the former Bishop of Derry Dr Edward Daly’s intervention on the issue of clerical celibacy.
Father Brian D’Arcy said the bishop was a man of “great experience”.
“It is still not looked on as a good thing to say if you are in the Vatican set-up, they don’t like you saying it,” he said.
“It is one of the issues that everyone is talking about and it is delightful that Bishop Daly has made a statement about it now.
“During his time as a bishop he was very strongly in favour of celibacy and therefore the change of view is obviously after sincere reflection.
“No-one could say Edward Daly was anything but a good church man.”
Fr Joe McVeigh
Fr Joe McVeigh, A Fermanagh priest has claimed Irish politicians, including Enda Kenny, are as “much to blame” for clerical abuse as the Catholic Church.
In a letter to the Irish Times Fr Joe McVeigh criticised comments made by the Irish prime minister (taoiseach) after the publication of the Cloyne Report.
He accused Mr Kenny of “playing politics”.
“Mr Kenny took the opportunity to win himself some more popular support,” he wrote.
“The Irish politicians in government and in opposition, including Mr Kenny, are as much to blame for the abuse and neglect of children in the State as is the Church.
“It is easy to blame the Church and to focus on the Pope and the Vatican when it suits. It is a very popular thing to do right now.”
Fr McVeigh said that while it was necessary to hold the Church to account for its failure to protect children in its care, it was important to look at these failures in a “historical context”.
“When Ireland was partitioned the Church took on a hugely influential role in all aspects of life in the south…and was allowed to do so by the new Free State government.”
Fr Aidan Troy
Fr Troy has said he is devastated that clerical sex abuse may have led people to suicide.
Father Aidan Troy admitted that after four decades in the priesthood he is ashamed to wear his collar because of the litany of scandals.
The cleric told the Console suicide prevention conference in Dublin: “Who knows how many good people lost their light in their life because of the clergy.”
Fr Troy said while the church has played an enormously positive role in Ireland’s history through healthcare, pastoral care and education, a huge problem has been revealed.
“Underneath that undeniable goodness, there is decay, sin, criminality and an inability to deal with ordinary decent human living,” he continued.
“Over 40 years as a priest, it was a privilege to wear my collar. Now I find it difficult to go out with my collar on every morning.”
Fr Troy shot to worldwide prominence 10 years ago as he shielded Catholic schoolgirls from loyalist protesters in Belfast. he is now based in Paris.
He has also been heavily critical of the church’s handling of clerical abuse, but revealed his inspiration does not come from the internal world of church politics.
“I don’t care whether it’s the government or the Vatican who are right in their diplomacy,” he added. “My inspiration comes from the value of human life, the prospect of human life.”
Irish state to pay religious orders £30m legal fees
Religious orders are set to receive up to £30m (35m euros) from the Irish state to meet outstanding legal fees relating to an investigation into clerical sex abuse.
The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse examined abuse in reformatories and industrial schools run by religious congregations.
It culminated in the 2009 publication of the Ryan report.
The Republic has already paid out £20m (22m euros) on third-party legal costs.
A report in the Irish Times said the bulk of this related to religious orders.
However, the paper reports internal briefing material states that between £25m and £30m (30m euros and 35m euros) more will be needed to pay their full costs, bringing the overall bill to at least £45m (50m euros).
The Irish government undertook to pay the legal costs of all third parties when it established the commission over a decade ago.
A spokeswoman for the Irish department of education declined to say how much individual orders are due to receive given that negotiations over outstanding costs are ongoing.
Criticism
However, the paper said “informed sources” estimated that £17m (20m euros) was due to go to firms which represented the Christian Brothers.
The Brothers were the largest provider of residential care for boys in Ireland over the period investigated by the commission.
Up to £13m (15m euros) is believed to be due to be paid to legal firms which represented the Sisters of Mercy at the commission. They ran 26 industrial schools during the period investigated.
About £4.3m (5m euros) is likely to be due to firms which represented the Sisters of Charity, who ran five industrial schools.
Meanwhile, the Irish government has said it stands by its criticism of the Catholic Church following the publication of the Cloyne report into abuse in the Cork diocese in July.
The Republic’s Prime Minister Enda Kenny said the report exposed “the elitism, dysfunction, disconnection” of the Church. On Thursday the government said these comments accurately reflected the public anger.
On Friday Justice Minister Alan Shatter reiterated that the Vatican had frustrated inquiries into clerical child abuse in Cloyne and Dublin, by failing to provide information as recently as 2008.