Madam, - I write to express my disappointment at the outcome of the meetings of priests with Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, as reported on Primetime on RTÉ 1 on March 9th. At the meeting I attended in Enniskerry (as with other similar meetings) it was made abundantly clear to the archbishop that our difficulty was with the publicity that surrounds a priest being asked to stand aside and not the standing aside itself. As priests we do not want to be treated differently to any other category of person in this regard.
After our meetings the archbishop went on Primetime and misrepresented what had been clearly stated as the priests' views on this matter. He insisted our difficulty was with standing aside, thus creating an impression that priests want special treatment when in fact what we clearly want is to be treated like any other profession when an allegation is made.
When pressed as to why priests want special treatment, the archbishop said "because they do not understand the nature of these measures". This is a gross insult to the priests as well as being inaccurate. Most priests of the diocese have been at the coalface of this whole issue for nearly 10 years now; the archbishop has come to it relatively recently in the past two years.
Such statements seriously undermine our confidence that dialogue entered into openly and honestly will be properly represented in the public arena. Adding insult to injury, statements that priests lack understanding of the nature of these measures portrays them as at best out of touch and at worst a crowd of fools.
Irreparable damage has been done to the relationship between the archbishop and the priests of the Dublin diocese by this latest episode. As we look to the near future and the forthcoming Dublin Inquiry, the archbishop's comments regarding Auxiliary Bishop Eamonn Walsh at our recent meetings fill us with foreboding.
He said Bishop Walsh was appreciated by all for his work in Ferns because he was ruthless in his application of canon law and the child protection policy. Was Bishop Walsh ruthless in his dealings with victims, health board or gardaí? I think not.
Maybe the priests in Ferns Diocese would have a different appreciation of Bishop Walsh from the appreciation of him in the Dáil and the media (those two great bastions of truth). In the past the authorities neglected victims who were easily overlooked and great injustice was done. Will the same happen in our day with regard to another group who are easily overlooked? An injustice in any policy renders the whole policy flawed and it will not bear fruit. Doing the truth in love is the only way forward for Christians. - Yours, etc,
Fr GREGORY O'BRIEN, Ludford Drive, Ballinteer, Dublin 16.