By MICHELE M. BETTI | b&a opinions | https://bettiandassociates.com
In the fifth century, Ireland was rid of snakes and saved by St. Patrick. This past week, with the announcement from the Vatican, Ireland will be saved again from the child abuse scandals that have plagued the Catholic Church for years.
Monsignor Eamon Martin will succeed Cardinal Sean Brady as head of the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland. Monsignor Martin is the “coadjutor” archbishop of Armagh, which means he will automatically succeed Cardinal Brady upon his retirement in 2014. Armagh, located in Northern Ireland, is a significant diocese as the archbishop has the title “Primate of All Ireland” (senior church position on the divided island of Ireland). This move by the Vatican allows Cardinal Brady to exit softly amidst all the allegations of sexual abuse over the years. Monsignor Martin will take over running of the diocese immediately.
Monsignor Martin, 51, stated he is saddened that so many good Catholics have stopped practicing their faith over these abuse scandals and stated, “As a Church, we must continue in our efforts to bring healing to victims and ensure that young people are always protected, respected and nurtured.”
The Church in Ireland for centuries was embedded in the lives of the people and has been dealt a blow by a series of reports of child sexual abuse going back decades and the complicity of Church officials in the cover up. The years of crisis over these allegations have included several damming government reports, a BBC documentary last year, the resignation of several Irish bishops and a papal letter to Catholics in Ireland. In fact, last year Ireland closed its embassy to the Vatican.
The BBC television documentary riveted the Irish Catholics when it was reported that Cardinal Brady failed to warn parents of an abuser in 1975 after one of the abused victims went to him and he did nothing. The abuser, Father Brendan Smyth, pleaded guilty to 74 charges of sexual abuse to boys and girls for more than 30 years. Father Smyth was convicted to 12 years in prison and died in 1997 one month into his sentence.
The Vatican is hopeful that Monsignor Martin will start the healing process and avoid any shameful scandals in the future. Monsignor Martin will become the new coadjutor archbishop in about 12 days and stated he was “shocked and humbled.” He will become the youngest archbishop/bishop in Ireland’s history. The new archbishop is a director of the National Board for Safeguarding Children (a body set up in the wake of widespread clerical abuse scandals in the Irish church). He does not carry any baggage from his past and has a “clean pair of hands” after decades of abuse in Ireland.
These are challenging times for the Catholic Church in Ireland and he has been asked to lead. Let’s hope he does. Our prayers go with him.
Copyright 2013, b&a opinions.
–Michele M. Betti of the Law Offices of Betti & Associates is an advocate for survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
