Clerical Child Sexual Abuse

international | education | opinion/analysis Saturday July 16, 2011 15:00 by Sean Crudden - impero impero at iol dot ie Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co Louth 0879739945

I Am Not Like You!

“Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I get. But the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote his breast, saying, God, be thou merciful to me a sinner. I say unto you, This man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled; but he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

Luke Chapter 18

You probably know that a publican means a tax-collector. Such a person was generally hated reviled despised in biblical times. A publican was definitely not “politically correct.”

Seán Crudden

Sometimes in all the commentary I hear about Bishop Magee, Cloyne; and the scandal of child abuse: I feel there is a definite holier-than-thou attitude abroad on the airwaves and in our media in general. Our commentators are all paragons if they are not simply sycophants. Government ministers speaking in measured and dignified tones are simply infallible. All are determined to root out evil and obliterate The Vatican. And over what? Clerical child sexual abuse.

Now a cloud of disgust and guilt overwhelms us when we advert to or discuss certain taboo subjects like sex or mental illness. That cloud could be likened to a prism or lens that distorts and magnifies our perception of the relative importance of infringements.

The point I want to make is that there are many other forms of abuse prevalent. Many will agree with the view, for instance, that our schools and hospitals are extremely abusive places. If you don’t believe me ask children and patients about their experiences. Some people may even reason that such abuse is a necessary part of health or education.

I have said this before but maybe no-one noticed. Clerical child sexual abuse pales into insignificance compared to the abuse mental patients have received in the name of psychiatry during the past half century or more. Psychiatry is several orders of magnitude greater than the abuse which the cognoscenti in total agreement are complaining about on the radio this afternoon.

There is a lot of talk about directors of this and that and guidelines. When I was young every child over 7 was considered able to distinguish between right and wrong. It’s only when we became adult that we forgot how and needed the assistance of guidelines handed down from above.

It seems that we all feel comforted and more assured if there is some kind of “structure” to take care of every exigency, problem, abuse, mistake. Like architecture planning and foresight can make all the difference?

“Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another: all will be thrown down.” Mark 13:2