Sir, - Father Patrick McCafferty (November 29th) is to be commended for his forthrightness in calling for a pastoral letter from the Irish Catholic Bishops on clerical child abuse.
Before such a letter is written, however, it is essential that we learn what we can from scientific studies on this phenomenon elsewhere.
In a disturbing letter to the Tablet, Richard Sipe has challenged a statement by Fr Richard Call that such studies prove that Catholic priests are no more likely to abuse than any other section of society, or than clergy of other denominations. He states that the available evidence points to the opposite conclusion, citing a 1995 survey in the US of 19,000 treating professionals. This, he states, showed that 54 per cent of such cases of child abuse by clergy involved Catholic clergy, even though Catholics make up just 25 percent of the US population.
I am no statistician, but doesn't this suggest that Catholic clergy may be more than twice as likely to abuse as other clergy?
Mr Sipe quotes another study from New South Wales in which 60 per cent of a sample group of 200 child molesters declared they had been molested by Catholic priests or brothers.
He concludes by stating that of other studies now in progress, none so far supports the view that Catholic clergy and religious are no more frequent abusers than clergy of other religions.
At the very least we are entitled to expect that the Irish Hierarchy is sponsoring rigorous independent research into this issue - here and elsewhere - particularly in view of the fact that the distinctive requirement of celibacy for Catholic clergy is still being rigidly upheld. We all now need independent scientific reassurance that this requirement is not a significant factor in the horrendous events still unfolding. - Yours, etc.,
Sean O'Conaill, Greenhill Road, Coleraine, Co Derry.