The Cloyne Report

The Cloyne Report was published here in Ireland just last Wednesday (July 13th) and as has been the case with previous reports on child sexual abuse in the Church, the fallout has again been catastrophic. While it is very clear that there were many shortcomings on the part of a certain number of clerics throughout the time period mentioned in the report, the media attention has hounded the Church for being an institution that is covert, corrupt, outdated, and the like. Baseless drivel. The problem with the media is that it tends to treat the Church as just another organisation, and one that might be going bankrupt at that. One young person, who holds a prominent lectureship at one of the country’s major universities, had this to say just yesterday:
“My generation has, to a large extent, rejected the Church and all its trimmings. We want abortion legalised, we want secular education, same-sex marriage, women to be seen and viewed as equal (within and outside the church). Mostly, we want religion to be kept private, we want a secular society.”

Another young man in his twenties, while defending the many good priests whom he could remember since he was a child, also acknowledged that he was ‘...part of a demographic of our society that have virtually abandoned mass-going, and religion to a lesser extent.’
This helps to give one a feel for both the passive indifference that exists at ground level, and the anti-Church agenda that shares its space. But some of the country’s most senior politicians have made some saddening remarks in recent days, too. Taoiseach Enda Kenny was adamant, for example, that the new legislation introduced to require instances of child abuse to be reported to police mandatorily, would not be stopped by ‘crozier or by collar.’ Under this new legislation, priests will, in the eyes of the government, be required to break the seal of the confessional, under pain of mortal sin, of course, just so that the process of child protection can be propagated. Our second-in-command, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, a self-confessed atheist, has in the past sharply criticised the Pope for speaking out against homosexual unions, implying that the Church should not intervene in state matters. This has come at a time when the Irish government, alleging to be representative of Irish society, is becoming increasingly confident and vocal of its newfound secular approach (‘How dare they’ attitude). Yet the legislation and comments made this past week show that the state has indeed no problem whatsoever of trampling on the sacred ground of the Church confessional. This bias should be apparent to all.
As someone who does not normally comment much on political matters, I have some questions for any Irish politician who also believes that the Church should be driven out of the schools (as it is currently), and who has absolutely no regard for the Church in light of the recent reports.

1.If you, as a political leader, are so committed to eradicating child abuse, then why do you not seek it more honestly, i.e. wherever it can be found? Statistics tell us that most abuse occurs in the home. Also, what about public organisations where cover ups and corruption also exist? Why are you not searching here?

2.Why do you not remove one of the most dangerous sources of abuse of young children – the immense level of sexual and vulgar filth that is presented each day through every single form of media, without exception? Why do you continue to portray a gravely-immoral way of life as being right and good, such as with the promotion of homosexual unions? Why do you continue to offer nothing but a godless form of secularism, offering nothing more than hedonistic pleasure in this life, with nothing else to look forward to once we die?

3.If you are so committed to insisting on a plurality of education by attempting to remove the Church from the primary school system, then with what do you attempt to replace it? Do you have, as a more sincere and honest government might have, a system at the ready to ensure that moral standards similar to those espoused by the Catholic Faith that bind society together are passed on to the next generation? Or do you simply wish not to offend anybody that might not be Christian?

4.Finally, if you, as part of a government that seeks to put ‘Children First’, then why are you so committed to destroying the one system in place since the beginning of the human race that has protected children: the family? Why are you so eager to murder children in their mother’s wombs, so eager for a national holocaust, to be perpetrated each and every day, at a point in their lives when they are most vulnerable? Why do you hasten to approve of legislation to facilitate divorce, thus helping as best you can, in effect, to rip families to pieces?


The seeds have truly been set, I am firmly convinced, for a massive apostasy to take place, sooner rather than later. A significant portion of Irish people no longer practice their faith, professing to be atheistic or simply secular, while the majority of people do not practice with any sense of sincerity or devotion; lukewarmness has become the order of the day.
But I am still hopeful that God will continue to guide His Church through this, and that the prayers and martyrdoms of the multitude of Irish saints throughout the centuries of persecution will eventually reap great rewards for the faith here.

Bl. John XXIII used to say a little prayer to Jesus each night before going to bed: ‘Well, I’ve done my best today, Lord. It’s your Church. Goodnight!’

 

Sean,
The government have lost no time in jumping on the bandwagon of attacking the church. The media frenzy is unbelievable. I read the details of the 19 cases and I was amazed to discover that many of the cases had gone to the DPP (Public Prosecutor). there wasent enough evedience take a case to court. One of the cases was a girl being kissed by a priest sometime in the 1960's. Sh reported it after 1997. In another case the alleged incident happened in the 1930's and was reported in the 2000's. Many of the priests referred to were dead or had died by the time the alleged incident was reported. I know there were some valid cases but really the furor does not relate to the actual cases. Eamonn Gilmore & co want a seperation between church and state but they now want to sit in the confession boxes. A prominent member of the labour front bench Mr Stagg was apprehended some years ago in an area of Dublin where male prostitues hang out. Nobody in government raised a whisper about that because we had to show charity and compassion.
Of course this law will not go ahead as it would be totally unworkable. Priest would have to get your name and address before hearing confession. :roll:
The reaction by the government parties shows their attitudes and whats coming down the tracks at us. We are now in Holy Week of the church. Its now Tuesday. The plot to kill the church is well underway. The next step is the final betrayel by the dissident clergy who will hand the church over for its crucifixion. The only response is to walk in silence huimlity and love with Jesus. We know with certainty that the resurrection is coming closer and closer. Praise be Jesus .
Mary

 

I also believe ,Shane that there will be a dawn after the night. But it will be obtained at the a huge price, paid for in an uprecedented effusion of blood.

The Age of Martyrs in Ireland has not past, but for us in our generation , it is just beginning...

 

Thank you, Sean and Mary, for the latest news. Yes, Padraig, a great darkness is upon us before the dawn! What has happened to my beloved ancestral home?!

Lord have mercy!

I thought of Ireland with it's peat bogs and how they uncovered the Sacred Writ in one of them a few years ago. Irish monks once restored much of Europe to the Faith after the barbarians devastated what was left of the Roman Empire. How sad to think that the Emerald Isle is now herself in need of spiritual restoration. Save us, O Lord!

Psalm 40:1 ...I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry. 2 He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD. 4 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after false gods!

 

Sometimes Terry it all seems so unreal. The changes are huge and very terrible.

If people only knew what they risk,what comes towards them at great speed, they'd be on their knees in a flash. But love cannot be bought through fear.

 

There has been a truely remarkable decline in my short life-time [born 1963] in the practise of the faith but also a corresponding decline in morals.

Sean is right - almost ALL Irish politicians are hypocrites and rotten to the core - they are the modern day Pharisees who cannot tell the difference between right and wrong. They are incapable of making sound judgements as they have been corrupted by the Spirit of the World. The decline of innocence in our times is a scandal and we deserve the justice that is coming. God is perfect Love and His Justice is that of a Loving Father. I fear the sin of the world much more than the Justice of God!