This article is from page 11 of the 2006-03-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 11 JPG
A SENIOR Clare cleric has raised concerns over the Church rules that require priests to be removed from their ministry when a sex abuse allegation is made against them. In a newsletter circulated at masses in the parish of DooraBarefield over the weekend, Canon Caimin O’Carroll outlined his concerns over the issue.
Speaking to The Clare People yesterday, he asked, “Is it fair that a priest be removed from his home, his mission and then wait in limbo for a couple of years before any decision is made because an accusation is made?
“In our democracy, a person is innocent until proven guilty, but requiring a priest to leave his parish and his home would appear to me to contravene natural justice. This is something that I am bothered and worried about and that is why I circulated the statement contained in the newsletter at the masses.”
Canon O’Carroll’s move to air his concerns comes against the background of two priests in Clare parishes being asked to stand aside in the past six months, as a result of allegations being made against them.
Canon O’Carroll said, “I included the statement because I want people to talk about it and get a discussion going on it, because if there is to be any change to Church policy it must come with pressure from the people.”
Canon O’Carroll said that his views were shared by others in the local clergy. “There would be a lot of sympathy and feeling for the priests that have been asked to step aside from other priests”.
Canon O’Carroll said that the Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh, was bound by Church rules to ask priests to step aside when allegations were made. Canon O’Carroll said, “It breaks his heart the whole thing and he is under a lot of pressure emotionally over the issue. I would hope that the people and priests would give more thought to the issue.”