DIARMUID MARTIN

The Irish Catholic Church had covered up the predatory child abuse behavior of many priests. The Vatican did also. At first they denied that priests had molested children. Then when the facts were becoming public, they argued that it was the behavior of an isolated priest here and there. Then they were faced with the fact that there were many priests who were pederasts, and the church castigated the individuals and denied that the Church officials knew what was going on and covered the crimes up, But many high officials of the Church knew that it was happening. They thought that the harm that would be done by loss of faith and trust in priests if the sexual oredation became known would be worse than if they tried to control the problem quietly inside the church. What they were accused of is just what had happened. Even Pope Benedict XVI when he was a mid-level Vatican official had refused to defrock a perverted California priests who the American church officials had wanted to get rid of. Even when the enormity of the abuse had become public, many Catholic officials denied that there was serious, traumatic harm done to the victims. Archbishop Martin was a leader in facing the issue squarely, admitting the behavior and the effect and trying to make amends and change. He was not at all popular for this among the Irish prelates and the Vatican officials, However, he managed to preserve some trust and support for the Chuch which had a major reform task ahead,

The Irish Catholic Church had covered up the predatory child abuse behavior of many priests. The Vatican did also. At first they denied that priests had molested children. Then when the facts were becoming public, they argued that it was the behavior of an isolated priest here and there. Then they were faced with the fact that there were many priests who were pederasts, and the church castigated the individuals and denied that the Church officials knew what was going on and covered the crimes up, But many high officials of the Church knew that it was happening. They thought that the harm that would be done by loss of faith and trust in priests if the sexual oredation became known would be worse than if they tried to control the problem quietly inside the church. What they were accused of is just what had happened. Even Pope Benedict XVI when he was a mid-level Vatican official had refused to defrock a perverted California priests who the American church officials had wanted to get rid of. Even when the enormity of the abuse had become public, many Catholic officials denied that there was serious, traumatic harm done to the victims. Archbishop Martin was a leader in facing the issue squarely, admitting the behavior and the effect and trying to make amends and change. He was not at all popular for this among the Irish prelates and the Vatican officials, However, he managed to preserve some trust and support for the Chuch which had a major reform task ahead,