THE APPOINTMENT by Pope Benedict of an Apostolic Administrator to Cloyne diocese is to be welcomed and Archbishop Dermot Clifford is deserving of support as he undertakes that role. But his appointment is an incomplete exercise. Bishop John Magee should have resigned on December 19th following the publication of a National Board for Safeguarding Children report on child protection practices in his diocese. His continued presence as Bishop of Cloyne, even if in name only, is a constant reminder of this latest conspicuous failure by an Irish Catholic bishop to address appropriately the issue of clerical child sex abuse.
Bishop Magee ignored State guidelines, Vatican directives and guidelines of the Catholic Church prepared at the instigation – among others – of the Irish Bishops’ Conference of which he remains a member. His flawed judgment has been further reflected in his refusal to step down despite the entreaties of abuse victims, their families, some fellow bishops and an unusual consensus both within and without the church.
Just as remarkable as Bishop Magee’s obstinancy was the public support he received from three of the four Irish Catholic archbishops. Whether this backing from Cardinal Seán Brady of Armagh, Archbishop Clifford of Cashel and Archbishop Michael Neary of Tuam was, in part, strategy to allow Bishop Magee space to consider standing aside has to be allowed for. But the optics presented by such apparent collegiality in the circumstances indicated a circling of the wagons around a fellow bishop under pressure which further damaged the credibility of the church. If so, it was an exercise in playing with fire where the tattered reputation of the church is concerned.
That said, it must be acknowledged that the great majority of bishops, as well as of leaders of religious congregations and missionary societies, are now thoroughly sickened at having their repeated, genuine, public protestations of commitment to best child protection practices undermined by the irregular eruptions of scandals such as Cloyne. It has created an impatience among them which can only be of benefit where the implementation of such best practice is concerned.
Likewise, there are those who have come through this self-inflicted debacle with their reputations enhanced. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin held his ground, maintaining the strong, unequivocal and consistent approach to this issue which has been a feature of his episcopacy since he became Archbishop of Dublin in 2004. Indeed, his very isolation from the seeming club of three other archbishops, where Bishop Magee was concerned, became something of a badge of honour.
There is also the National Board for Safeguarding Children and in particular its chief executive Ian Elliott whose gritty integrity and willingness to call it as he sees it without softening the edges has become something of a blessing to all involved. Such an approach is the rock on which the Irish Catholic Church may yet rebuild its reputation and regain the respect of its people.