zaterdag, mei 30, 2009
Mary McAleese interview
28 mei 2009
President Mary McAleese speaks to
Washington Correspondent Charlie Bird
PLAY CLIP
1938
Personen die de antimodernisme-eed moesten afleggen
De eed moest worden afgelegd door:
- iedere toekomstige subdiaken
- alle priesters, voordat ze een volmacht kregen voor biecht en prediking
- alle pastoors, kanunniken, etc. om tot hun ambt toegelaten te worden
- allen werkzaam in een bisschoppelijke curie en de pauselijke curie
- alle oversten en docenten bij kloosterorden en congregaties.
President Mary McAleese speaks to
Washington Correspondent Charlie Bird
PLAY CLIP
Personen die de antimodernisme-eed moesten afleggenDe eed moest worden afgelegd door:
- iedere toekomstige subdiaken
- alle priesters, voordat ze een volmacht kregen voor biecht en prediking
- alle pastoors, kanunniken, etc. om tot hun ambt toegelaten te worden
- allen werkzaam in een bisschoppelijke curie en de pauselijke curie
- alle oversten en docenten bij kloosterorden en congregaties.
Vows of silence
Thomas Doyle: Clericalism, Religious Dureness and
its Psycholocical Impact
on victims of Clergy Sexual Abuse
jan 2009)
Ivo de Wijs: "Hij wil gewoon van rampetampetamp."
its Psycholocical Impact
on victims of Clergy Sexual Abuse
jan 2009)
Ivo de Wijs: "Hij wil gewoon van rampetampetamp."
Ship of fools.
vrijdag, mei 29, 2009
En dan ná de verkiezingen: Het Dublin priester misbruik onderzoek. Beloofd!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Irish Times
MARK HENNESSY and PATSY McGARRY
INCREASED REDRESS: EIGHTEEN RELIGIOUS orders must pay extra substantial reparations to victims of child abuse in their institutions over decades, Dáil Éireann unanimously agreed yesterday.
In a rare show of political unity in Leinster House, politicians of all parties signed up to a motion moved by Minister for Health and Children Mary Harney.
The 18 religious congregations which signed the indemnity deal with the State in 2002 will meet in Dublin today to consider their situation.
To date 10 of them, the larger congregations in the main, have indicated they will meet the Government next week to explore how best more of their resources can be used to help people abused as children in institutions they managed and which were investigated by the Ryan commission.
It is believed that today they will discuss whether to constitute themselves as a group in the context of dealings with the Government, or whether they will conduct such dealings separately or under the umbrella of the Conference of Religious of Ireland (Cori).
It is understood that a preference has grown on the part of Cori that the relevant congregations either constitute themselves as a separate group for the purposes of dealing with Government on redress matters or that they do so individually.
Until last Tuesday all 18 had been acting under the Cori umbrella with its director general Sr Marianne O’Connor acting as spokeswoman. Since then each congregation, which has expressed a view, has done so separately.
It is not believed that the congregations will explore in any depth today what resources they may have available to offer as further redress for their former charges. A statement is expected when the meeting ends.
Yesterday’s motion by the Dáil said it “sincerely apologises to the victims of childhood abuse for the failure to intervene, to detect their pain, and to come to their rescue”. In addition, the motion accepted the 24 recommendations to improve child welfare services issued by the Ryan commission, which are to be progressed by the end of July by Minister of State for Children Barry Andrews.
Victims must be properly consulted on the types of help that they need, and support for them must “be the priority for all concerned”, the motion, accepted without debate, declared.
The 18 congregations blamed for the decades of abuse must “commit to making further substantial contributions by way of reparation”, the TDs of all parties said.
However, a trust funded by the congregations to pay for extra support for victims, along with more education and welfare service, must be “set up and managed by the State”, they insisted.
Meanwhile, the Government is to contact the Ryan commission, following Opposition concerns about its plans to destroy documentation about cases within months. Labour Party deputy leader Joan Burton said destruction of the documents “would be an appalling insult to the people who suffered in various institutions”.
Ms Harney said the commission’s documents are “a matter for Mr Justice Ryan,
[but] very often in these cases, information is given on a confidential basis . . . I know this arose in my case with the Dunne inquiry into organ retention when it was not legally possible to publish its documentation. Whether it can be retained is a different issue and I will speak to the Attorney General on that,” she said.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen said that in its discussions with the congregations, the Government wanted to ensure they fully comprehended “the moral responsibilities that are now being imposed”.
Irish Times
MARK HENNESSY and PATSY McGARRY
INCREASED REDRESS: EIGHTEEN RELIGIOUS orders must pay extra substantial reparations to victims of child abuse in their institutions over decades, Dáil Éireann unanimously agreed yesterday.
In a rare show of political unity in Leinster House, politicians of all parties signed up to a motion moved by Minister for Health and Children Mary Harney.
The 18 religious congregations which signed the indemnity deal with the State in 2002 will meet in Dublin today to consider their situation.
To date 10 of them, the larger congregations in the main, have indicated they will meet the Government next week to explore how best more of their resources can be used to help people abused as children in institutions they managed and which were investigated by the Ryan commission.
It is believed that today they will discuss whether to constitute themselves as a group in the context of dealings with the Government, or whether they will conduct such dealings separately or under the umbrella of the Conference of Religious of Ireland (Cori).
It is understood that a preference has grown on the part of Cori that the relevant congregations either constitute themselves as a separate group for the purposes of dealing with Government on redress matters or that they do so individually.Until last Tuesday all 18 had been acting under the Cori umbrella with its director general Sr Marianne O’Connor acting as spokeswoman. Since then each congregation, which has expressed a view, has done so separately.
It is not believed that the congregations will explore in any depth today what resources they may have available to offer as further redress for their former charges. A statement is expected when the meeting ends.
Yesterday’s motion by the Dáil said it “sincerely apologises to the victims of childhood abuse for the failure to intervene, to detect their pain, and to come to their rescue”. In addition, the motion accepted the 24 recommendations to improve child welfare services issued by the Ryan commission, which are to be progressed by the end of July by Minister of State for Children Barry Andrews.
Victims must be properly consulted on the types of help that they need, and support for them must “be the priority for all concerned”, the motion, accepted without debate, declared.
The 18 congregations blamed for the decades of abuse must “commit to making further substantial contributions by way of reparation”, the TDs of all parties said.
However, a trust funded by the congregations to pay for extra support for victims, along with more education and welfare service, must be “set up and managed by the State”, they insisted.
Meanwhile, the Government is to contact the Ryan commission, following Opposition concerns about its plans to destroy documentation about cases within months. Labour Party deputy leader Joan Burton said destruction of the documents “would be an appalling insult to the people who suffered in various institutions”.
Ms Harney said the commission’s documents are “a matter for Mr Justice Ryan,
[but] very often in these cases, information is given on a confidential basis . . . I know this arose in my case with the Dunne inquiry into organ retention when it was not legally possible to publish its documentation. Whether it can be retained is a different issue and I will speak to the Attorney General on that,” she said.Taoiseach Brian Cowen said that in its discussions with the congregations, the Government wanted to ensure they fully comprehended “the moral responsibilities that are now being imposed”.
donderdag, mei 28, 2009
De trappen van Bosbeek
RK Nieuws.net van vandaag
...
"De deelnemers spraken verder hun zorg uit over de discussie in Nederland waarbij de indruk kan ontstaan dat religie wordt misbruikt voor het bereiken van politieke doeleinden. Daarmee kan een klimaat ontstaan waardoor gevoelens van onveiligheid en bedreiging eerder toe- dan afnemen. "...
Wat een waanzinnige uitspraak om juist nu te vinden, wanneer je druk bezig bent om de ontwikkelingen in Ierland te blijven snappen.
Alsof religie wel eens ooit niet gebruikt is voor politieke doeleinden...
Maar in die onzinnige uitspraak zouden we dus nog wel eens een stukje antwoord kunnen hebben op de vraag:
hoe is het in vredesnaam mogelijk dat het katholiek residentieel misbruik in Nederland ontkend wordt (of in Duitsland, Frankrijk)
Of zoals in de Guardian de vraag omdraaid: hoe is het in vredesnaam mogelijk dat er overal in de angelsaksische wereld zo'n kerkelijk (katholiek) (residentieel) misbruik plaats heeft gevonden.
Want dat dát deel van de ontkenning is duidelijk.
Er is niks Angelsaksisch, laat staan Iers aan!
Maar wat ons onderscheidt van de angelsaksische wereld is o.m. een wereldoorlog op eigen bodem. Twee zelfs, hoewel we dat als Nederlanders maar al te makkelijk vergeten.
En vooral: wij hadden de Holocaust! Met alle gevolgen van dien.
En met heel Nederland in dat verzet....
Eigenlijk alweer weinig nieuws dus.
Wat een ironie dat dan uitgerekend de trapppen van Bosbeek voor mij zo'n belangrijke rol konden gaan spelen. Je zou God bijna kunnen horen brullen van het lachen.
Maar da's natuurlijk ook weer heel oneerbiedig.
Dan maar een dankgebed.
Dank, Heer. Dat mijn kinderen door een paar hele slimme Belgen mochten weten wat oorlog en minachting voor Leven is.
Dank, Heer. Voor nachten vol regenbogen boven het goud van bergen slapende kinderen op het terrein van een concentratiekamp.
Dank U, Heer. Voor vliegers met scheermesjesstaarten.
Dank, Heer. Voor dat domme racisme van de Hollander. Dat hen de rijkdom gaf waarin zij zelf konden ontdekken wat schaamte, schuld, vergeven en verzoening is.
Dank U, Heer. Dat zij die onmacht van ons nooit zullen kunnen snappen.
...
"De deelnemers spraken verder hun zorg uit over de discussie in Nederland waarbij de indruk kan ontstaan dat religie wordt misbruikt voor het bereiken van politieke doeleinden. Daarmee kan een klimaat ontstaan waardoor gevoelens van onveiligheid en bedreiging eerder toe- dan afnemen. "...
Wat een waanzinnige uitspraak om juist nu te vinden, wanneer je druk bezig bent om de ontwikkelingen in Ierland te blijven snappen.
Alsof religie wel eens ooit niet gebruikt is voor politieke doeleinden...
Maar in die onzinnige uitspraak zouden we dus nog wel eens een stukje antwoord kunnen hebben op de vraag:
hoe is het in vredesnaam mogelijk dat het katholiek residentieel misbruik in Nederland ontkend wordt (of in Duitsland, Frankrijk)
Of zoals in de Guardian de vraag omdraaid: hoe is het in vredesnaam mogelijk dat er overal in de angelsaksische wereld zo'n kerkelijk (katholiek) (residentieel) misbruik plaats heeft gevonden.
Want dat dát deel van de ontkenning is duidelijk.
Er is niks Angelsaksisch, laat staan Iers aan!
Maar wat ons onderscheidt van de angelsaksische wereld is o.m. een wereldoorlog op eigen bodem. Twee zelfs, hoewel we dat als Nederlanders maar al te makkelijk vergeten.
En vooral: wij hadden de Holocaust! Met alle gevolgen van dien.
En met heel Nederland in dat verzet....
Eigenlijk alweer weinig nieuws dus.
Wat een ironie dat dan uitgerekend de trapppen van Bosbeek voor mij zo'n belangrijke rol konden gaan spelen. Je zou God bijna kunnen horen brullen van het lachen.
Maar da's natuurlijk ook weer heel oneerbiedig.
Dan maar een dankgebed.
Dank, Heer. Dat mijn kinderen door een paar hele slimme Belgen mochten weten wat oorlog en minachting voor Leven is.
Dank, Heer. Voor nachten vol regenbogen boven het goud van bergen slapende kinderen op het terrein van een concentratiekamp.
Dank U, Heer. Voor vliegers met scheermesjesstaarten.
Dank, Heer. Voor dat domme racisme van de Hollander. Dat hen de rijkdom gaf waarin zij zelf konden ontdekken wat schaamte, schuld, vergeven en verzoening is.
Dank U, Heer. Dat zij die onmacht van ons nooit zullen kunnen snappen.
Victims make abusers' names call
BBC 27 May 2009 21:22 UK
A group of survivors of child abuse in the Republic has called on 18 religious congregations to give the Garda the names of members who violated children.
SOCA Ireland has said it also wants any files on abusers handed over.
An assistant Garda commissioner has been appointed to examine the potential for future prosecutions.
"Those accountable for such crimes - no matter how long ago - must also face the full rigours of the law," said Mr Cowen.
Eleven of the 18 congregations named in the Ryan Report on Child Abuse have now accepted Mr Cowen's talks invitation.
Earlier, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said any additional voluntary contribution to compensation for victims from the orders must be substantial.
The Irish government has also said it will implement all 20 of the report's recommendations and will meet with all of the religious orders to discuss how they can make further payments.
rest
A group of survivors of child abuse in the Republic has called on 18 religious congregations to give the Garda the names of members who violated children.
SOCA Ireland has said it also wants any files on abusers handed over.
An assistant Garda commissioner has been appointed to examine the potential for future prosecutions.
"Those accountable for such crimes - no matter how long ago - must also face the full rigours of the law," said Mr Cowen.
Eleven of the 18 congregations named in the Ryan Report on Child Abuse have now accepted Mr Cowen's talks invitation.
Earlier, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said any additional voluntary contribution to compensation for victims from the orders must be substantial.
The Irish government has also said it will implement all 20 of the report's recommendations and will meet with all of the religious orders to discuss how they can make further payments.
rest
Top garda to investigate if abusers can face charges
AN assistant garda commissioner has been appointed to examine the report of the Commission into Child Abuse and determine if new avenues of criminal investigation can be opened up.
Legal steps are also being taken to "clear" the criminal records of those sent by the courts to institutions run by religious orders.
The move was ordered by Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy after discussions with Justice Minister Dermot Ahern.
Assistant Commissioner Derek Byrne, who is in charge of the force's national units, will carry out the review of the five-volume report. Commissioner Murphy said the review would take some time to complete.
As the commission's inquiry was non-statutory, victims who participated in its evidence-gathering were treated in confidence and the report names neither victims nor offenders. Any new investigation will therefore require huge manpower.
Since the publication of the report last week, meanwhile, a woman in the Diocese of Cloynes has levelled new clerical abuse allegations leading to a middle-aged priest taking administrative leave.
The woman, who alleges she was sexually assaulted by a cleric almost 25 years ago, is said to have been prompted to come forward by disgust at the scale of revelations in the report.
But gardai said last night there was no indication of a general upsurge in complaints about clerical abuse.
Relatively few in a series of separate garda inquiries into abuse allegations, meanwhile, have resulted in convictions.
In a large number of cases, the alleged offenders had died or there was insufficient evidence for the DPP to prosecute. Lawyers pointed out that in cases of rape and sexual abuse, the time lapse was crucial from an evidential viewpoint.
The minister said yesterday that he had also held discussions with Attorney General Paul Gallagher on examining ways of expunging the criminal records of victims.
Duty
But security sources said many of those sent to the institutions by the courts did not have criminal records, as they believed, but were dealt with by the civil courts.
Mr Ahern welcomed the comments of senior clergymen, who said the compensation deal agreed with the religious orders should be revisited. He believed there was a moral duty on the orders to come forward and respond.
Fine Gael and Labour last night called for the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate the child abuse.
Fine Gael's justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan said the appointment would serve a useful function.
Labour's justice spokesman Pat Rabbitte said it would meet with broad public approval, if it could be made legally secure.
Legal steps are also being taken to "clear" the criminal records of those sent by the courts to institutions run by religious orders.
The move was ordered by Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy after discussions with Justice Minister Dermot Ahern.
Assistant Commissioner Derek Byrne, who is in charge of the force's national units, will carry out the review of the five-volume report. Commissioner Murphy said the review would take some time to complete.
As the commission's inquiry was non-statutory, victims who participated in its evidence-gathering were treated in confidence and the report names neither victims nor offenders. Any new investigation will therefore require huge manpower.
Since the publication of the report last week, meanwhile, a woman in the Diocese of Cloynes has levelled new clerical abuse allegations leading to a middle-aged priest taking administrative leave.
The woman, who alleges she was sexually assaulted by a cleric almost 25 years ago, is said to have been prompted to come forward by disgust at the scale of revelations in the report.
But gardai said last night there was no indication of a general upsurge in complaints about clerical abuse.
Relatively few in a series of separate garda inquiries into abuse allegations, meanwhile, have resulted in convictions.
In a large number of cases, the alleged offenders had died or there was insufficient evidence for the DPP to prosecute. Lawyers pointed out that in cases of rape and sexual abuse, the time lapse was crucial from an evidential viewpoint.
The minister said yesterday that he had also held discussions with Attorney General Paul Gallagher on examining ways of expunging the criminal records of victims.
Duty
But security sources said many of those sent to the institutions by the courts did not have criminal records, as they believed, but were dealt with by the civil courts.
Mr Ahern welcomed the comments of senior clergymen, who said the compensation deal agreed with the religious orders should be revisited. He believed there was a moral duty on the orders to come forward and respond.
Fine Gael and Labour last night called for the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate the child abuse.
Fine Gael's justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan said the appointment would serve a useful function.
Labour's justice spokesman Pat Rabbitte said it would meet with broad public approval, if it could be made legally secure.
We are in denial . De Kerk moet in therapie
Is het niet prachtig hoe de politieke strijd in Ierland, sinds gisteren, de antwoorden levert ook op mijn vraag: hoe is het in vredesnaam mogelijk dat die wetenschapper, kerkhistoricus zo onwaarschijnlijk uit zijn nek zit te kletsen?
...
Ja zeg mij wat daar in Rome hebben ze gestoorde mensen in dienst. Begrijp ook niet waarom hier in Nederland dat allemaal in de doofpot moet!
Ja de kinderen die in de Goede Herder hier waren werden er door de kinderbescherming geplaatst,uitgerekend in zo,n gevaarlijke omgeving waar je alle waardigheid werd afgenomen. Ze kondendus met ons doen wat ze wilden.
Ja ja en dat uit naam van God. Grote schande!!!
Ik heb het immers aan de lijve meegemaakt in Velp en Almelo
Geld, .. Heel erg veel geld is de reden voor die doofpot. In Nederland heeft de Staat hetzelfde belang als de RK Kerk bij die doofpotten over die tehuizen. Dat is, naast de macht van de Ierse Kerk,het belangrijkste verschil met de Ierse situatie. Niet de vele vormen van misbruik!
Met een hele diepe buiging, respect en ontzag voor die tehuis-Ieren en de hunne die , individueel én gezamelijk, keer op keer hun mogelijkheden weer vonden om -ondanks wat hen door Kerk, Staat en samenleving getracht werd af te nemen en (alle angst voor) angst hun menswaardigheid te behouden, voor zovelen levenslang, de moed iedere keer weer op te brengen angst om te zetten in hoop. En dat te delen!
Misschien is die kracht wel genoeg om inderdaad op te wegen tegen de misdaden van en binnen de RKK óók de afgelopen 10 jaar van Ierse Revolutie.
Dat ik ze vond... en voldoende kreeg om te verstaan. Wat geweldig...!!!
Gulf between congregations and public opinion laid bare
Irish Times
PATSY McGARRY
Thursday, May 28, 2009
THE DISASTROUS Morning Ireland interview with Cori director general Sr Marianne O’Connor last Tuesday morning was the final straw. Her sometimes pert tone and the “that is closed” response to Cathal Mac Coille when asked whether the congregations would revisit that controversial 2002 redress deal with the State, provoked deep fury.
Adding to those echoes of a “that is out” Margaret Thatcher phraseology, was her insistence that the congregations themselves knew best how their resources might be used to help former residents of their institutions. She seemed to be dictating terms in a context where by then few believed those same congregations were in any position to do so.
It also became clear during the interview that, come hell or high water, and whatever about the injustice of a nine to one disproportion between the State contribution to the redress scheme and that of the congregations, it was a case of “not a cent more” to that scheme where those same congregations were concerned.
What resources the congregations might have would go directly to the former residents and the congregations themselves would see to that, she indicated. She repeated these sentiments in an interview on Newstalk almost immediately afterwards. Following on from statements the previous evening from the 18 congregations and Cori, this was red rag stuff to survivors’ groups. In those statements the congregations reiterated a “commitment to working with those who suffered enormously while in our care” and continued “We (my emphasis) must find the best and most appropriate ways of directly assisting them.”
Following on from the powerful intervention of former Clonmel mayor Michael O’Brien on Questions and Answers the night before, the response was utterly, outrageously outlandish. It proved, as if it was needed, that the congregations just still did not get it. So much so indeed that Sr Marianne is believed to have been rewarded with flowers and many messages of congratulations afterwards. If ever there was an illustration of the gulf that lay between the congregations and public opinion up to that point, there it was.
Until Tuesday morning the 18 congregations were content to let Cori do the running for them on the growing controversy over the 2002 deal. Fine, the Christian Brothers, the Sisters of Mercy, the Oblates, the Sisters of Charity, all issued separate expressions of remorse and promises of things to come, on publication of the Ryan commission report last Wednesday, May 20th.
But for the next six days, until Tuesday, their public relations people were idle, except for the press releases for Cori and the relevant 18 on Monday afternoon, May 26th. It is believed the congregations themselves were convinced that all would have blown over by Tuesday.
But they had not reckoned on the interventions of Cardinal Brady and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin on Monday or of those by Bishop Noel Traenor and Fr Tim Bartlett on Sunday.
They had not reckoned at all on Michael O’Brien. And they most certainly had not realised that their sometimes leisurely rhythms were, daily, adding highly-combustible fuel to the flames fomented by events.
But there was never a split among the 18. Nor is there a split now among them, even if they are suddenly acting more independently of one another.
Some of the smaller congregations may believe they have made a more proportionate contribution to the redress scheme than larger congregations, but this has never become an issue.
However, a split in unity among the 18 could arise over the issue of transparency. Those with debts or fewer resources will have no problem agreeing to transparency. Others with more resources are expected to resist.
Indeed, some congregations have already been suggesting that the Sisters of Mercy ought to hand over ownership of their hospitals to the State while it is being said that the Christian Brothers should do the same with the property in the Edmund Rice Schools Trust, thus adding to the State’s assets, as a further contribution to the redress scheme.
It is not expected, however, that such suggestions will be welcomed by either the Brothers or Sisters of Mercy.
Whatever the view of congregations, it is also expected new charity legislation will make transparency imperative for even the most recalcitrant of them.
Within the broader membership of Cori itself, there has always been tension over its leadership and the fact that it has allowed itself to become a public front for the 18 relevant congregations. This goes back to 2000 when Sr Elizabeth Maxwell, Cori’s then director general and now Cori president, and Sr Helena O’Donoghue led negotiations with the State on behalf of the 18 congregations.
There was deep unease at this then among many of Cori’s 120 other congregations who quickly identified the risks involved for them all, through association.
But the case for Cori leading negotiations was helped by the fact that the Christian Brothers, the Sisters of Mercy and the Sisters of Charity are among the largest congregations in Cori. This matters to a body where contributions are per head and proportionate to membership of a congregation.
But the unease of the 120 congregations never fully dissipated.
It blew up into their darkest nightmare last week.
Being tarnished by association with the contents of the Ryan commission report has been a deeply horrible experience for some members of those other congregations and has brought them close to despair.
There was deep anger among these other congregations over the weekend at Cori being seen as “defending the indefensible”, when it came to the 2002 deal and at the damage being done to its good name.
Much of this was directed at the Christian Brothers whose television appearances on the issue were seen as too casual.
However there was a change of policy on Tuesday evening when the Christian Brothers issued anabject and lengthy statement in which they promised to make what resources they did not need for accommodation or to meet commitments available to help former residents of institutions they ran.
This was followed by a similar gesture from the Oblates.
Late that night, the Taoiseach spoke. He called on religious orders to provide additional funds.
The next morning the offices of a much wider number of public relations companies than heretofore began to hum and statement after statement was sent out until the majority of the relevant 18 congregations had signalled their intent to co-operate with the Government in negotiating a fresh deal.
PATSY McGARRY
Thursday, May 28, 2009
THE DISASTROUS Morning Ireland interview with Cori director general Sr Marianne O’Connor last Tuesday morning was the final straw. Her sometimes pert tone and the “that is closed” response to Cathal Mac Coille when asked whether the congregations would revisit that controversial 2002 redress deal with the State, provoked deep fury.
Adding to those echoes of a “that is out” Margaret Thatcher phraseology, was her insistence that the congregations themselves knew best how their resources might be used to help former residents of their institutions. She seemed to be dictating terms in a context where by then few believed those same congregations were in any position to do so.
It also became clear during the interview that, come hell or high water, and whatever about the injustice of a nine to one disproportion between the State contribution to the redress scheme and that of the congregations, it was a case of “not a cent more” to that scheme where those same congregations were concerned.
What resources the congregations might have would go directly to the former residents and the congregations themselves would see to that, she indicated. She repeated these sentiments in an interview on Newstalk almost immediately afterwards. Following on from statements the previous evening from the 18 congregations and Cori, this was red rag stuff to survivors’ groups. In those statements the congregations reiterated a “commitment to working with those who suffered enormously while in our care” and continued “We (my emphasis) must find the best and most appropriate ways of directly assisting them.”
Following on from the powerful intervention of former Clonmel mayor Michael O’Brien on Questions and Answers the night before, the response was utterly, outrageously outlandish. It proved, as if it was needed, that the congregations just still did not get it. So much so indeed that Sr Marianne is believed to have been rewarded with flowers and many messages of congratulations afterwards. If ever there was an illustration of the gulf that lay between the congregations and public opinion up to that point, there it was.
Until Tuesday morning the 18 congregations were content to let Cori do the running for them on the growing controversy over the 2002 deal. Fine, the Christian Brothers, the Sisters of Mercy, the Oblates, the Sisters of Charity, all issued separate expressions of remorse and promises of things to come, on publication of the Ryan commission report last Wednesday, May 20th.
But for the next six days, until Tuesday, their public relations people were idle, except for the press releases for Cori and the relevant 18 on Monday afternoon, May 26th. It is believed the congregations themselves were convinced that all would have blown over by Tuesday.
But they had not reckoned on the interventions of Cardinal Brady and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin on Monday or of those by Bishop Noel Traenor and Fr Tim Bartlett on Sunday.
They had not reckoned at all on Michael O’Brien. And they most certainly had not realised that their sometimes leisurely rhythms were, daily, adding highly-combustible fuel to the flames fomented by events.
But there was never a split among the 18. Nor is there a split now among them, even if they are suddenly acting more independently of one another.
Some of the smaller congregations may believe they have made a more proportionate contribution to the redress scheme than larger congregations, but this has never become an issue.
However, a split in unity among the 18 could arise over the issue of transparency. Those with debts or fewer resources will have no problem agreeing to transparency. Others with more resources are expected to resist.
Indeed, some congregations have already been suggesting that the Sisters of Mercy ought to hand over ownership of their hospitals to the State while it is being said that the Christian Brothers should do the same with the property in the Edmund Rice Schools Trust, thus adding to the State’s assets, as a further contribution to the redress scheme.
It is not expected, however, that such suggestions will be welcomed by either the Brothers or Sisters of Mercy.
Whatever the view of congregations, it is also expected new charity legislation will make transparency imperative for even the most recalcitrant of them.
Within the broader membership of Cori itself, there has always been tension over its leadership and the fact that it has allowed itself to become a public front for the 18 relevant congregations. This goes back to 2000 when Sr Elizabeth Maxwell, Cori’s then director general and now Cori president, and Sr Helena O’Donoghue led negotiations with the State on behalf of the 18 congregations.
There was deep unease at this then among many of Cori’s 120 other congregations who quickly identified the risks involved for them all, through association.
But the case for Cori leading negotiations was helped by the fact that the Christian Brothers, the Sisters of Mercy and the Sisters of Charity are among the largest congregations in Cori. This matters to a body where contributions are per head and proportionate to membership of a congregation.
But the unease of the 120 congregations never fully dissipated.
It blew up into their darkest nightmare last week.
Being tarnished by association with the contents of the Ryan commission report has been a deeply horrible experience for some members of those other congregations and has brought them close to despair.
There was deep anger among these other congregations over the weekend at Cori being seen as “defending the indefensible”, when it came to the 2002 deal and at the damage being done to its good name.
Much of this was directed at the Christian Brothers whose television appearances on the issue were seen as too casual.
However there was a change of policy on Tuesday evening when the Christian Brothers issued anabject and lengthy statement in which they promised to make what resources they did not need for accommodation or to meet commitments available to help former residents of institutions they ran.
This was followed by a similar gesture from the Oblates.
Late that night, the Taoiseach spoke. He called on religious orders to provide additional funds.
The next morning the offices of a much wider number of public relations companies than heretofore began to hum and statement after statement was sent out until the majority of the relevant 18 congregations had signalled their intent to co-operate with the Government in negotiating a fresh deal.
Former FF mayor tells of abuse pain
Irish Times
MARK HENNESSY
May 26, 2009
AN ABUSE victim and former Fianna Fáil mayor last night told Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey that the Government had not “the foggiest” understanding of victims’ pain.
In a sensational contribution to RTÉ’s Questions And Answers , Michael O’Brien from Clonmel, Co Tipperary, told Mr Dempsey: “I am surprised at you, Minister. You made a bags of it at the time.
“I went to the commission.They had seven barristers there questioning me, telling me that I was telling lies. I was raped, and got an unmerciful beating and he then came along the following morning and put Holy Communion in my mouth. You don’t know what happened. You haven’t got the foggiest. You are talking through your hat, and you are talking to a Fianna Fáil man, that worked tooth and nail for the party that you are talking about. You didn’t do it right. You don’t know the hurt I feel inside.”
The commission was not non-adversarial, he said, adding that he tried to commit suicide on his way home after spending five days giving evidence.
Pointing to his wife, he said: “There is the woman who saved me. They brought a man – 90 odd years of age – to tell me I was telling lies, that I wasn’t beaten for an hour by two of them. Non-stop. Non-stop for two hours without a shred of clothes on my body. My God, Minister."
Turning to Fine Gael TD Leo Varadkar, Mr O’Brien said: “I want to speak to your leader, and tell him to stop making a political football. You hurt us when you do that. You tear the shreds of clothes. For God’s sake, try and give us some peace, try and give us some peace, and not continue hurting us.”
The apology given in 1999 by then taoiseach Bertie Ahernwas “mealy-mouthed, but at least it was an apology,” said Mr O’Brien.
Calling for a constitutional amendment to seize the assets of the religious orders, he said the public would “gladly pass” one.
He told Mr Dempsey: “You can change it. You run this State. Stop mealy-mouthing. I am sick of it. You are turning me off voting Fianna Fáil which I have done since the day I could vote.“
MARK HENNESSY
May 26, 2009
AN ABUSE victim and former Fianna Fáil mayor last night told Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey that the Government had not “the foggiest” understanding of victims’ pain.
In a sensational contribution to RTÉ’s Questions And Answers , Michael O’Brien from Clonmel, Co Tipperary, told Mr Dempsey: “I am surprised at you, Minister. You made a bags of it at the time.
“I went to the commission.They had seven barristers there questioning me, telling me that I was telling lies. I was raped, and got an unmerciful beating and he then came along the following morning and put Holy Communion in my mouth. You don’t know what happened. You haven’t got the foggiest. You are talking through your hat, and you are talking to a Fianna Fáil man, that worked tooth and nail for the party that you are talking about. You didn’t do it right. You don’t know the hurt I feel inside.”
The commission was not non-adversarial, he said, adding that he tried to commit suicide on his way home after spending five days giving evidence.
Pointing to his wife, he said: “There is the woman who saved me. They brought a man – 90 odd years of age – to tell me I was telling lies, that I wasn’t beaten for an hour by two of them. Non-stop. Non-stop for two hours without a shred of clothes on my body. My God, Minister."
Turning to Fine Gael TD Leo Varadkar, Mr O’Brien said: “I want to speak to your leader, and tell him to stop making a political football. You hurt us when you do that. You tear the shreds of clothes. For God’s sake, try and give us some peace, try and give us some peace, and not continue hurting us.”
The apology given in 1999 by then taoiseach Bertie Ahernwas “mealy-mouthed, but at least it was an apology,” said Mr O’Brien.
Calling for a constitutional amendment to seize the assets of the religious orders, he said the public would “gladly pass” one.
He told Mr Dempsey: “You can change it. You run this State. Stop mealy-mouthing. I am sick of it. You are turning me off voting Fianna Fáil which I have done since the day I could vote.“
Religious groups defy bishops' call to pay more over abuse
Irish Times
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
THE CATHOLIC bishops last night pledged to “work closely with religious congregations and institutes in addressing the needs of survivors of abuse and in the healing process” following publication of the Ryan commission report last Wednesday.
However, in a statement following a day-long meeting of the Standing Committee of the Irish Bishops’ Conference yesterday, they made no reference to the controversial 2002 church/State redress deal.
Earlier yesterday the Catholic primate Cardinal Seán Brady, Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin and Bishop of Killaloe Willie Walsh said the deal should be revisited and the 18 congregations concerned should contribute more.
On Sunday a similar call was made by Bishop of Down Noel Traenor and by Fr Tim Bartlett, general assistant to Cardinal Brady.
Responding to these calls in a statement yesterday afternoon, the 18 religious congregations indicated they would not be revisiting the 2002 deal.
They said that “rather than re-opening the terms of the agreement reached with government in 2002, we reiterate our commitment to working with those who suffered enormously while in our care. We must find the best and most appropriate ways of directly assisting them. We will meet again in the coming days to explore the detail of our responses”.
They were supported by the Conference of Religious of Ireland (Cori)
...
Public confidence vital over orders' payments
Thursday, May 28, 2009
MARIE O'HALLORAN
TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen has stressed the importance of public confidence that contributions by religious congregations involved in the institutional child abuse scandal are “substantial and commensurate” with their resources.
He told Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny that he would have discussions with the orders about how they could proceed “in a way that will engender public confidence”.
Mr Kenny had welcomed the Government’s announcement after its Cabinet meeting on Tuesday night that the religious orders should make a far greater contribution in reparation to “the victims who were children in their care when they were abused”.
...
rest
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
THE CATHOLIC bishops last night pledged to “work closely with religious congregations and institutes in addressing the needs of survivors of abuse and in the healing process” following publication of the Ryan commission report last Wednesday.
However, in a statement following a day-long meeting of the Standing Committee of the Irish Bishops’ Conference yesterday, they made no reference to the controversial 2002 church/State redress deal.
Earlier yesterday the Catholic primate Cardinal Seán Brady, Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin and Bishop of Killaloe Willie Walsh said the deal should be revisited and the 18 congregations concerned should contribute more.
On Sunday a similar call was made by Bishop of Down Noel Traenor and by Fr Tim Bartlett, general assistant to Cardinal Brady.
Responding to these calls in a statement yesterday afternoon, the 18 religious congregations indicated they would not be revisiting the 2002 deal.
They said that “rather than re-opening the terms of the agreement reached with government in 2002, we reiterate our commitment to working with those who suffered enormously while in our care. We must find the best and most appropriate ways of directly assisting them. We will meet again in the coming days to explore the detail of our responses”.
They were supported by the Conference of Religious of Ireland (Cori)
...
Public confidence vital over orders' payments
Thursday, May 28, 2009
MARIE O'HALLORAN
TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen has stressed the importance of public confidence that contributions by religious congregations involved in the institutional child abuse scandal are “substantial and commensurate” with their resources.
He told Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny that he would have discussions with the orders about how they could proceed “in a way that will engender public confidence”.
Mr Kenny had welcomed the Government’s announcement after its Cabinet meeting on Tuesday night that the religious orders should make a far greater contribution in reparation to “the victims who were children in their care when they were abused”.
...
rest
Kilmore issues child protection newsletter
The Diocese of Kilmore has issued a newsletter to all its parishes on the protection of minors from abuse.
The Safeguarding Children Newsletter contains details of the main developments in Kilmore in recent years towards protecting young people, together with contacts for diocesan trainers and employees in the area of child protection, and HSE and Garda contact details.
...
In his introduction to the newsletter, Bishop Leo O'Reilly expresses his ''fervent prayer that these policies will assist us in ministering to children and young people in ways that will enhance their physical, emotional and spiritual growth within the safe and welcoming environment of the Christian community''.
The Safeguarding Children Newsletter can be viewed at http://www.kilmorediocese.ie/
The Safeguarding Children Newsletter contains details of the main developments in Kilmore in recent years towards protecting young people, together with contacts for diocesan trainers and employees in the area of child protection, and HSE and Garda contact details.
...
In his introduction to the newsletter, Bishop Leo O'Reilly expresses his ''fervent prayer that these policies will assist us in ministering to children and young people in ways that will enhance their physical, emotional and spiritual growth within the safe and welcoming environment of the Christian community''.
The Safeguarding Children Newsletter can be viewed at http://www.kilmorediocese.ie/
Child abuse that links the Catholic Church and Irish state
The report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, published in Dublin last week, is the map of an Irish hell.
In devastating detail it reveals the systematic abuse of tens of thousands of children perpetuated by the Catholic Church – with the knowledge and collusion of the state.
The statistics alone are extraordinary. From 1914 to 1991 more than 170,000 children were incarcerated by the state in orphanages, schools and prisons run by the Catholic Church.
In 261 institutions some 8,000 religious people were involved in the maltreatment of 35,000 children. More than 1,700 men and women gave evidence of the abuse they suffered as children there, with over half reporting sexual abuse. More than 800 priests, brothers, nuns and lay people are directly implicated.
Reading through the 2,600 pages you begin to get some idea of what life must of have been like in the institutions controlled by the holy men and women of Ireland – the ritual humiliations, beatings, rape, hunger, cold, forced slave labour, and the endless psychological brutalisation.
The commission also revealed how a cosy cartel developed between Church and state, where children were the commodity and profit the motive. The state paid the Church to run “industrial schools”.
In turn, the Church siphoned-off a portion of the money given to them and spent it on their mainstream schools instead. Children in the industrial schools were used as slave labour in commercial farms, laundries and, in the case of one institution, a rosary bead factory.
The common connection between the children in the industrial schools and other such institutions was not that they were petty criminals, but that they were poor.
“What are they but illegitimates and pure dirt,” one Christian Brother remembered being told by his superior. The children were constantly told that their families were “scum”, “tramps” and “from the gutter”.
Obstructed
The commission’s report was ten years in the making and during that period both the Church and the state systematically obstructed its work.
The Christian Brothers delayed the investigation for more than a year with a lawsuit that successfully defended their members’ right to anonymity, even in cases in which individual Christian Brothers had been convicted of sexual and physical attacks on children.
There have been carefully moderated expressions of “regret” for the pain caused to children. But all this rings hollow. There will be no criminal prosecutions as a result of the report and the state has taken upon itself to indemnify the Church from liability.
In return, the Church agreed to give the government property worth £112 million – much of it already used, refurbished and maintained by the state. Even so, the Church is yet to settle up in full, and is haggling over the final £30 million.
The bill for compensation for the victims is likely to surpass £1.1 billion. If full redress were made the figure would be far higher.
Following the report there has been a huge outcry against the deal with the Church and the government is under pressure to renegotiate. But their answer is to blather legalistically that it cannot be revisited.
Strangely, they had no such legal problems when reopening the pension arrangements of every Irish public sector worker earlier this year.
All of which goes to show that what we are witnessing here is a shabby arrangement designed to stop the bankruptcy of religious orders that were involved in the child abuse, while covering up the role of the state that did everything in its powers to hide those crimes from public view.
In devastating detail it reveals the systematic abuse of tens of thousands of children perpetuated by the Catholic Church – with the knowledge and collusion of the state.
The statistics alone are extraordinary. From 1914 to 1991 more than 170,000 children were incarcerated by the state in orphanages, schools and prisons run by the Catholic Church.
In 261 institutions some 8,000 religious people were involved in the maltreatment of 35,000 children. More than 1,700 men and women gave evidence of the abuse they suffered as children there, with over half reporting sexual abuse. More than 800 priests, brothers, nuns and lay people are directly implicated.
Reading through the 2,600 pages you begin to get some idea of what life must of have been like in the institutions controlled by the holy men and women of Ireland – the ritual humiliations, beatings, rape, hunger, cold, forced slave labour, and the endless psychological brutalisation.
The commission also revealed how a cosy cartel developed between Church and state, where children were the commodity and profit the motive. The state paid the Church to run “industrial schools”.
In turn, the Church siphoned-off a portion of the money given to them and spent it on their mainstream schools instead. Children in the industrial schools were used as slave labour in commercial farms, laundries and, in the case of one institution, a rosary bead factory.
The common connection between the children in the industrial schools and other such institutions was not that they were petty criminals, but that they were poor.
“What are they but illegitimates and pure dirt,” one Christian Brother remembered being told by his superior. The children were constantly told that their families were “scum”, “tramps” and “from the gutter”.
Obstructed
The commission’s report was ten years in the making and during that period both the Church and the state systematically obstructed its work.
The Christian Brothers delayed the investigation for more than a year with a lawsuit that successfully defended their members’ right to anonymity, even in cases in which individual Christian Brothers had been convicted of sexual and physical attacks on children.
There have been carefully moderated expressions of “regret” for the pain caused to children. But all this rings hollow. There will be no criminal prosecutions as a result of the report and the state has taken upon itself to indemnify the Church from liability.
In return, the Church agreed to give the government property worth £112 million – much of it already used, refurbished and maintained by the state. Even so, the Church is yet to settle up in full, and is haggling over the final £30 million.
The bill for compensation for the victims is likely to surpass £1.1 billion. If full redress were made the figure would be far higher.
Following the report there has been a huge outcry against the deal with the Church and the government is under pressure to renegotiate. But their answer is to blather legalistically that it cannot be revisited.
Strangely, they had no such legal problems when reopening the pension arrangements of every Irish public sector worker earlier this year.
All of which goes to show that what we are witnessing here is a shabby arrangement designed to stop the bankruptcy of religious orders that were involved in the child abuse, while covering up the role of the state that did everything in its powers to hide those crimes from public view.
Krankzinnig! Commission to decide fate of documents
CW (I.I.)
De Commissie die daar -achteraf - en midden in de politieke strijd een week na uitkomst van het rapport nu nog eens even over gaat beslissen????
Aannemende dat het bericht zou kloppen: wat een aanfluiting. De zoveelste. En wat een cynisme!
Members of the Child Abuse Commission are due to meet today to decide the fate of thousands of original documents detailing the abuse of children in institutions.
The commissioners are expected to order the retention of some documents for research and historical purposes, but the vast majority will be shredded, according to informed sources
Over the past decade, the commission has collected evidence from victims, as well as admissions from members of religious orders who were involved in or witnessed abuse.
The commissioners, who are understood to be overwhelmed by the response to their report published last week, will take steps to wind up operations now that their work is finished. Many of the staff and commissioners were seconded from other organisations and will return there once the inquiry body closes down.
The commission has no role in the awarding of legal costs to parties who appeared before it. This work is expected to continue for some years.
None of the material collected by the commission can by used by the Garda in any criminal prosecution arising from the review of the report ordered by Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy.
De Commissie die daar -achteraf - en midden in de politieke strijd een week na uitkomst van het rapport nu nog eens even over gaat beslissen????
Aannemende dat het bericht zou kloppen: wat een aanfluiting. De zoveelste. En wat een cynisme!
Members of the Child Abuse Commission are due to meet today to decide the fate of thousands of original documents detailing the abuse of children in institutions.
The commissioners are expected to order the retention of some documents for research and historical purposes, but the vast majority will be shredded, according to informed sources
Over the past decade, the commission has collected evidence from victims, as well as admissions from members of religious orders who were involved in or witnessed abuse.
The commissioners, who are understood to be overwhelmed by the response to their report published last week, will take steps to wind up operations now that their work is finished. Many of the staff and commissioners were seconded from other organisations and will return there once the inquiry body closes down.
The commission has no role in the awarding of legal costs to parties who appeared before it. This work is expected to continue for some years.
None of the material collected by the commission can by used by the Garda in any criminal prosecution arising from the review of the report ordered by Garda Commissioner Fachtna Murphy.
woensdag, mei 27, 2009
Church has paid billions to victims all around world Ging het over de slachtoffers of over de macht van de Kerk? Hoe gebruik je slachtoffers.
Church has paid billions to victims all around world
MOST other countries where the Roman Catholic Church was responsible for child abuse have already dealt with the issue of compensating the victims.
...
Eén zinnetje maar, die het zoveel duidelijker maakt dan zovelen van die zovele artikelen.
Een bloedstollend zinnetje.
MOST other countries where the Roman Catholic Church was responsible for child abuse have already dealt with the issue of compensating the victims.
...
Eén zinnetje maar, die het zoveel duidelijker maakt dan zovelen van die zovele artikelen.
Een bloedstollend zinnetje.
maandag, mei 25, 2009
Die RKK Kruispunt flauwe kul en haar deskundige
't Laat me dus niet los.
Na nog 2 keer die uitzending bekeken te hebben:
Wat maakt in vredesnaam dat zo'n man, die mij qua kennis en denktraining, zelfs informatiemogelijkheden, zonder enige twijfel tussen 2 hapjes door zo in zijn holle kies steekt, zulke onwaarschijnlijke flauwe kul als "deskundige" gaat zitten verkopen?
Toen ik, o lieflijke naiviteit waar zijt ge gebleven, een paar jaar terug de mij noodzakelijke antwoorden begon te zoeken, was een van de eerste zware schokken dat Philidelphia grand-jury onderzoeksrapport. Maar mischien nog wel veel meer de reactie van een kardinaal daar, Rigali, daarop.
Een verschrikkelijk en vernietigend onderzoeksrapport, zoals ook dat Ryan rapport zeker is. Da's het voordeel van dat soort rapporten: tbv. de menselijke maag stinkend rotte vis verpakt in cleane termen, en zeker over dit thema maar goed ook. Dan nog kwam zo'n Rigali met het onwaarschijnlijke idee dat katholieke dat niet zouden mogen lezen...
In feite precies hetzelfde als wat gister dat Kruispunt met haar "deskundige" meende te moeten uithalen, en waar de man zich dus voor leende.
Wanneer je kijkt naar wat er letterlijk gezegd wordt kun je niet anders dan concluderen dat ze óf zelfs de moeite niet eens hebben genomen om zelfs maar de conclussies even te lezen óf ze inderdaad een dermate krankjorum gebrek aan kennis van de Nederlandse geschiedenis hebben dat waren ze hier niet geboren ze zich hier niet eens hadden mogen vestigen bij gebrek aan het behalen van het inburgeringsexamen.
Maar los van dat het hilarisch is, of je er als betrokkene woedend over kunt worden om de pijn ervan niet meer te willen voelen, blijft die vraag: wat maakt in vredesnaam dat zo'n man zich daarvoor leent? Wat maakt in vredesnaam dat zo'n man , om maar het meest simpele te noemen, zelfs niet ziet -of dat theater speelt - dat het helemaal niet alleen over seksueel misbruik ging, laat staan over tuchtscholen en andere heropvoedings- en strafinstellingen, maar ook over doveninstituten?
Waar denkt die man in vredesnaam dat de nederlandse kinderbescherming, of de jeugdjustitiele inrichtingen, vandaan komt?
Want het is natuurlijk bloedinteressant waarom men dáár al die jaren over het residentieel misbruik zijn mond dicht hield.
Maar hoe is het in vredesnaam mogelijk dat anno 2009 zo'n man dit soort waanzin met een stalen "deskundige" gezicht kan verkopen, in Nederland. over Nederland?
Is dat dan inderdaad toch een wetenschapper met de kardinaal Rigali truc?
Of zou het net zo iets zijn als wat ik zag op mijn eerste keer na jaren in een zaal vol religieusen, die prachtige, en zeker verstandige religieuse die in diepe ontzetting vertelde over haar ervaringen met justitie en verblijfsvergunningen, waarbij de hele zaal háár ontzetting begreep maar ik ontzet een marsvrouwtje zag?
Na nog 2 keer die uitzending bekeken te hebben:
Wat maakt in vredesnaam dat zo'n man, die mij qua kennis en denktraining, zelfs informatiemogelijkheden, zonder enige twijfel tussen 2 hapjes door zo in zijn holle kies steekt, zulke onwaarschijnlijke flauwe kul als "deskundige" gaat zitten verkopen?
Toen ik, o lieflijke naiviteit waar zijt ge gebleven, een paar jaar terug de mij noodzakelijke antwoorden begon te zoeken, was een van de eerste zware schokken dat Philidelphia grand-jury onderzoeksrapport. Maar mischien nog wel veel meer de reactie van een kardinaal daar, Rigali, daarop.
Een verschrikkelijk en vernietigend onderzoeksrapport, zoals ook dat Ryan rapport zeker is. Da's het voordeel van dat soort rapporten: tbv. de menselijke maag stinkend rotte vis verpakt in cleane termen, en zeker over dit thema maar goed ook. Dan nog kwam zo'n Rigali met het onwaarschijnlijke idee dat katholieke dat niet zouden mogen lezen...
In feite precies hetzelfde als wat gister dat Kruispunt met haar "deskundige" meende te moeten uithalen, en waar de man zich dus voor leende.
Wanneer je kijkt naar wat er letterlijk gezegd wordt kun je niet anders dan concluderen dat ze óf zelfs de moeite niet eens hebben genomen om zelfs maar de conclussies even te lezen óf ze inderdaad een dermate krankjorum gebrek aan kennis van de Nederlandse geschiedenis hebben dat waren ze hier niet geboren ze zich hier niet eens hadden mogen vestigen bij gebrek aan het behalen van het inburgeringsexamen.
Maar los van dat het hilarisch is, of je er als betrokkene woedend over kunt worden om de pijn ervan niet meer te willen voelen, blijft die vraag: wat maakt in vredesnaam dat zo'n man zich daarvoor leent? Wat maakt in vredesnaam dat zo'n man , om maar het meest simpele te noemen, zelfs niet ziet -of dat theater speelt - dat het helemaal niet alleen over seksueel misbruik ging, laat staan over tuchtscholen en andere heropvoedings- en strafinstellingen, maar ook over doveninstituten?
Waar denkt die man in vredesnaam dat de nederlandse kinderbescherming, of de jeugdjustitiele inrichtingen, vandaan komt?
Want het is natuurlijk bloedinteressant waarom men dáár al die jaren over het residentieel misbruik zijn mond dicht hield.
Maar hoe is het in vredesnaam mogelijk dat anno 2009 zo'n man dit soort waanzin met een stalen "deskundige" gezicht kan verkopen, in Nederland. over Nederland?
Is dat dan inderdaad toch een wetenschapper met de kardinaal Rigali truc?
Of zou het net zo iets zijn als wat ik zag op mijn eerste keer na jaren in een zaal vol religieusen, die prachtige, en zeker verstandige religieuse die in diepe ontzetting vertelde over haar ervaringen met justitie en verblijfsvergunningen, waarbij de hele zaal háár ontzetting begreep maar ik ontzet een marsvrouwtje zag?
We are in denial. Kerkhistoricus Ton van Schaik: de kerk moet in therapie.
RKK Kruispunt 25-05
" Het is verbazingwekkend hoe, ondanks alle ideologische manipulatie, er niets verdwijnt uit het geheugen."
zei Václav Havel al eens.
En ja hoor, daar had de RKK Nederland haar eerder rond de Ierse Magdalena's uitgehaalde Rooms katholieke truc weer.
Nu uitgehaald niet door Soeterbeeck en de Stichting de Echo maar door hoogleraar en kerkhistoricus Ton van Schaik!!
Gaat U maar rustig slapen, " Nee, die situatie hadden we in Nederland niet"
Wat heerlijk om daar nu, een paar jaar verder, hartelijk om te kunnen lachen!!
De waarde Roomse kerkhistoricus heeft gelijk!
De Kerk moet nodig in therapie.
Wanneer je, voor het gemak van de ontkennning maar even de Zorg in katholieke emancipatie en de Nederlandse verzuiling vergeet, heb je een ernstig probleem!
Maar verder heeft deze "deskundige" kennelijk erg weinig begrepen van de ontwikkelingen door het naar buiten puilende misbruik in die Kerk de afgelopen jaren . Misschien zelfs wel van Benedictus.
En al helemaal niet van die Ierse revolutie.
Het goede van de boodschap van de slachtoffers van de misdaden van de Rooms Katholieke Kerk, in de RK Zorg en het onderwijs,
en nu dus in Ierland, is: Ja zeker, denial kun je doorbreken en stoppen!!!
Hoe zou je "Maak je borst maar nat" in het Iers zeggen?
Of in het Duits, Frans en Spaans ?
Maar een hoogleraar die zich als kerhistoricus buitengewoon blameert...
da's héél wat anders.
Dat is niet alleen heel erg dom. Het is héél vervelend voor de RK Kerk.
Zeker in tijden van internet communicatie.
Vraag maar eens na bij Mgr. Lombardi.
Het geeft natuurlijk wel, alweer, meer duidelijkheid, en hoe! over de manipulatieve macht met dossiers en archieven, zelfs met foto's.
Waarmee de minachting tov de slachtoffers en hun leven slechts wordt onderstreept.
Hoewel juist nu dat in het kader van juist Ierland waar dit zo'n belangrijke rol speelde in het dwarsbomen van het werk van het onderzoek, ook nogal stompzinnig is. Of hilarisch zo je wilt.
Waarmee de minachting tov de slachtoffers en hun leven slechts wordt onderstreept.
Hoewel juist nu dat in het kader van juist Ierland waar dit zo'n belangrijke rol speelde in het dwarsbomen van het werk van het onderzoek, ook nogal stompzinnig is. Of hilarisch zo je wilt.
Ook heel jammer voor zo'n man, dat ie dus kennelijk ook niet in staat is om het werk van zoveel mannen en vrouwen in die Kerk, óók in dat verleden, op waarde te schatten en je petje voor af te nemen!
Het begin van dat proces om denial te stoppen en naar de RK Zorg te kijken heeft, voor heel veel keiharde euro's, Ierland én de Kerk nu gekregen, van die slachtoffers én van wetenschappers.
Maar dergelijke "deskundigen", kerkhistorici of niet in RK nieuws kost uiteindelijk de Kerk heel veel. Ook geld!
En dat is of het nu het misbruik in de VS, Canada, misschien zelfs in Australie -dat weet ik nog niet - of in Ierland, het meest kenmerkende.
De onverantwoordde wijze waarop de RKK met haar geld omgaat.
Dát is wat Ierland bijzonder maakt.
Dát is wat de macht van Ierse Kerk laat zien. Die nog steeds bestaande macht.
Daarover gaat de volgende stap. Niet over slachtoffers. Die worden, als steeds en nog steeds, in die politieke strijd slechts gebruikt.
zondag, mei 24, 2009
Nl
1985NBDBiblion recensie:
Evenals in haar andere werk beschrijft Yvonne Keuls hier een sociaal probleem - ditmaal de pedofiele relatie van een kinderrechter met de hem toevertrouwde pupillen. Via het relaas van Annie Berber, vriendin en vertrouweling van de hoofdpersoon Tommie, komen we meer te weten over zijn jeugd: een treurige opeenvolging van kindertehuizen, goedbedoelende voogden, hulpverlenings- en strafinstellingen, kleine criminaliteit en prostitutie. Het maakte Tommie kwetsbaar in een situatie waarin weliswaar sprake is van persoonlijke aandacht en liefde, maar in ruil waarvoor dingen gevraagd worden waar hij het steeds moeilijker mee krijgt. Wanneer uiteindelijk een aanklacht wordt ingediend, worden de betrokkenen nog een keer geconfronteerd met hun machteloosheid. Een meeslepend boek: de machteloze positie van deze kinderen en hun volstrekte afhankelijkheid van autoriteiten en hulpverlening worden op een zeer levendige manier beschreven.
In 1985 zorgde de publicatie van het boek Annie Berber en het verdriet van een tedere crimineel voor voorpaginanieuws. Alle kranten sprongen er bovenop, want het was de eerste keer dat iemand een kinderrechter aanklaagde voor pedofilie. Bij Justitie ontkende men toen de kranten om een reactie vroegen, maar men moest later toegeven dat er wel degelijk een kinderrechter was die pedofiele contacten onderhield met jonge delinquenten.
Evenals in haar andere werk beschrijft Yvonne Keuls hier een sociaal probleem - ditmaal de pedofiele relatie van een kinderrechter met de hem toevertrouwde pupillen. Via het relaas van Annie Berber, vriendin en vertrouweling van de hoofdpersoon Tommie, komen we meer te weten over zijn jeugd: een treurige opeenvolging van kindertehuizen, goedbedoelende voogden, hulpverlenings- en strafinstellingen, kleine criminaliteit en prostitutie. Het maakte Tommie kwetsbaar in een situatie waarin weliswaar sprake is van persoonlijke aandacht en liefde, maar in ruil waarvoor dingen gevraagd worden waar hij het steeds moeilijker mee krijgt. Wanneer uiteindelijk een aanklacht wordt ingediend, worden de betrokkenen nog een keer geconfronteerd met hun machteloosheid. Een meeslepend boek: de machteloze positie van deze kinderen en hun volstrekte afhankelijkheid van autoriteiten en hulpverlening worden op een zeer levendige manier beschreven.
In 1985 zorgde de publicatie van het boek Annie Berber en het verdriet van een tedere crimineel voor voorpaginanieuws. Alle kranten sprongen er bovenop, want het was de eerste keer dat iemand een kinderrechter aanklaagde voor pedofilie. Bij Justitie ontkende men toen de kranten om een reactie vroegen, maar men moest later toegeven dat er wel degelijk een kinderrechter was die pedofiele contacten onderhield met jonge delinquenten.
1988
2007
Vraagt de directeur van een congregatie. vroegere groepsleider rk kinderbeschermings internaat mij of het niet afschuwelijk is dat tgv. al die misbruik verdachtmakingen in Ierland en de VS
de groepswerkers de pupillen niet meer in bed mogen nemen, zoals dat in zijn tijd nog kon en hij deed.
Hij stelt, zeer verontwaardigd, de vraag of ík dat nu misbruik vind.
2008 Vertelt één van Neerlands tehuis psychologen/orthopedagoog hoe in zijn team iedereen op de hoogte was, en hiermee volkomen akkoord ging, dat een vrouwelijke groepsleidster de oudere jongens seksueel inwijdde door met hen naar bed te gaan.
2008 Stuurt een gerenomeerd zeer gewaardeerde Ned. kinderbeschermingsonderzoeker mij een artikel toe over misbruik in de VS , met een kort briefje:
"Hadden we het maar geweten".
Kerst 2008 trekt een Ierse Augustijn de deur van zijn kerk achter zich dicht en gaat lopen.
"We are deeply in denial."
Oh, enne uh mijn klacht bij Hulp en Recht
die werd 2 maal onmogelijk gemaakt.
Door onmogelijke procedures
En vooral héél, héél veel oude jongens-en-meiden-krentenbrood.
Deeply in denial, of hun eigen al dan niet vermeende belangetjes.
Pure minachting.
Van Leven. Van de kinderen van een ander.
Van Leven. Van de kinderen van een ander.
En hele domme miscalculatie.
Van Geloof!
Van Geloof!
En dát is revolutie! Victims' sad tales of abuse could fill a book
Gerry Kelly was only six months old and too young to remember when he was sent to a home because his 18-year-old Catholic mother wasn't married and his father was a Protestant.
But he remembers all too well the rampant and horrific sexual, emotional and physical abuse from the Christian Brothers in Artane industrial school in Dublin in the 1960s.
Gerry and others abuse survivors told their stories to Lord Mayor of Dublin Eibhlin Byrne yesterday as Dubliners, shocked by this week's report on cruelty in institutions run by Catholic orders, lined up to sign a Book of Solidarity for the victims in the Mansion House.
...
Ms Byrne said she had found a huge amount of anger and upset at the revelations and had set up the book of solidarity as she felt an outlet of some kind was needed.
"It's so sad. You have grown men breaking down in front of children. They want to know someone is listening and hearing what they are saying," she said.
Ms Byrne said the Mansion House will be open for the book signing to-day "and as long as we feel people want to come".
rest artikel
But he remembers all too well the rampant and horrific sexual, emotional and physical abuse from the Christian Brothers in Artane industrial school in Dublin in the 1960s.
Gerry and others abuse survivors told their stories to Lord Mayor of Dublin Eibhlin Byrne yesterday as Dubliners, shocked by this week's report on cruelty in institutions run by Catholic orders, lined up to sign a Book of Solidarity for the victims in the Mansion House.
...
Ms Byrne said she had found a huge amount of anger and upset at the revelations and had set up the book of solidarity as she felt an outlet of some kind was needed.
"It's so sad. You have grown men breaking down in front of children. They want to know someone is listening and hearing what they are saying," she said.
Ms Byrne said the Mansion House will be open for the book signing to-day "and as long as we feel people want to come".
rest artikel
Huambo
Constroem sonhos com os mais velhos de mãos dadas
E no céu descobrem estrelas de magia
Com os lábios de dizer nova poesia
...
Porque os meninos inventaram coisas novas
E até já dizem que as estrelas são do povo
(tekst: Manuel Rui Monteiro)
Tone of debate unhelpful says Soca
A GROUP representing former residents of residential institutions run by the religious orders has warned against turning the Ryan commission report into a political football.
It has also described much of the “tone” of current debate on the report as “unhelpful”.
Michael Waters, spokesman for Survivors of Child Abuse (Soca) UK, said yesterday the group was “very concerned that a political football was about to be made of it ”.
He added: “My understanding is that it is to be discussed in the Dáil for two days and we feel that the tone of the debate is most unhelpful to all parties concerned.”
He said “Cardinal Seán Brady and the Christian Brothers have made profound apologies and we should take them in good faith. We all need to cease for a moment and take constructive action in order to move it on and see where we can go from here.”
oca UK was willing to meet with all interested parties “to discuss a way forward that will be beneficial to all. It must be possible for us as concerned people to sit down together to find a way.”
Meanwhile, Fr Michael Mernagh, the Augustinian priest who undertook a walk of atonement last January from Cobh to the Pro-Cathedral in Dublin over the handling of clerical sex abuse in Cloyne diocese, has said that the 2002 church-State redress agreement “didn’t do any justice to the Gospel principles”.
Asked yesterday on Newstalk radio’s Lunchtime with Eamon Keane programme whether he thought the congregations were morally obliged to revisit the redress agreement, he said: “Of course.”
“It goes without saying that the first priority now for all of us who call ourselves religious, or clergy or church, is to ensure that those who were damaged and those who are seeking some recognition and support that they’re given that support at whatever it costs us,” he said.
tussen jou en my
hoe verskriklik
hoe wanhopig
hoe vernietig breek dit tussen jou en mij
soveel verwonding vir waarheid
soveel verwoesting
so min het oorgebly vir oorlewing
maar as die oue nie skuldig is nie
nie skuld bely nie
kan die nuwe natuurlik ook nie skuldig wees nie
en nooit voor stok gekry word
as hy die oue herhaal nie
alles begin dus van voor af aan
dié slag anders ingekleur
Antjie Krog
Uit: Down to my last skin.
deel 10 uit: Land van genade en verdriet
It has also described much of the “tone” of current debate on the report as “unhelpful”.
Michael Waters, spokesman for Survivors of Child Abuse (Soca) UK, said yesterday the group was “very concerned that a political football was about to be made of it ”.
He added: “My understanding is that it is to be discussed in the Dáil for two days and we feel that the tone of the debate is most unhelpful to all parties concerned.”
He said “Cardinal Seán Brady and the Christian Brothers have made profound apologies and we should take them in good faith. We all need to cease for a moment and take constructive action in order to move it on and see where we can go from here.”
oca UK was willing to meet with all interested parties “to discuss a way forward that will be beneficial to all. It must be possible for us as concerned people to sit down together to find a way.”
Meanwhile, Fr Michael Mernagh, the Augustinian priest who undertook a walk of atonement last January from Cobh to the Pro-Cathedral in Dublin over the handling of clerical sex abuse in Cloyne diocese, has said that the 2002 church-State redress agreement “didn’t do any justice to the Gospel principles”.
Asked yesterday on Newstalk radio’s Lunchtime with Eamon Keane programme whether he thought the congregations were morally obliged to revisit the redress agreement, he said: “Of course.”
“It goes without saying that the first priority now for all of us who call ourselves religious, or clergy or church, is to ensure that those who were damaged and those who are seeking some recognition and support that they’re given that support at whatever it costs us,” he said.
tussen jou en my
hoe verskriklik
hoe wanhopig
hoe vernietig breek dit tussen jou en mij
soveel verwonding vir waarheid
soveel verwoesting
so min het oorgebly vir oorlewing
maar as die oue nie skuldig is nie
nie skuld bely nie
kan die nuwe natuurlik ook nie skuldig wees nie
en nooit voor stok gekry word
as hy die oue herhaal nie
alles begin dus van voor af aan
dié slag anders ingekleur
Antjie Krog
Uit: Down to my last skin.
deel 10 uit: Land van genade en verdriet
zaterdag, mei 23, 2009
Tutu's glimoogies: Helpline processes months worths of calls in 7 hours after report published.
A HELPLINE for abuse victims has fielded a month’s worth of calls in seven hours following the publication of the damning report into institutional child abuse.
The National Adults Counselling Service, Connect, which offers over- the-phone counselling and is funded by the HSE, said it received more than 500 calls between 6pm on Thursday and 1am on Friday and had to call on extra staff to deal with demand.
Director of Connect Anne Richardson said many of the callers were speaking for the first time in their lives about the abuse they suffered, and said the rate of calls was "unprecedented".
Ms Richardson said that the age of callers ranged from 18 to 80, and that 10 staff were required to man the phones instead of the usual two full-time staff and one part-timer."We were flat out," she said. "The majority of calls are coming from people who have not contacted us before.
"We are getting a lot of men [calling], which is different as usually we get most of our calls from women.
"We are also getting a lot of calls from people who have been abused in settings other than institutions. 
"Other agencies such as One in Four also reported a surge in calls since the report was published.
The Connect phone line usually operates between 6pm and 10pm, Wednesday to Sunday, but last night extended its services by two hours and may do so again over the weekend.Connect received 1,400 more calls last year than in 2007.
However, this week’s report cataloguing decades of abuse in schools and other settings – and the publicity it attracted – resulted in a fresh flood of calls.
The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) said 73 first-time callers called its national 24-hour helpline between 9.30 and 11.30 on Thursday night.
Book of solidarity open all weekend in Dublin
Saturday May 23 2009
A book of solidarity for the victims of abuse in Ireland is to be opened in Dublin today.
The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Eibhlin Byrne, made the announcement yesterday.
She said she had been approached by many people wishing to express their solidarity with the men and women who were abused at state-run institutions.
People can sign the book from 10.30am this morning at the Mansion House.
It will be open until 5pm this evening and then again tomorrow from 11am until 4pm.
A book of solidarity for the victims of abuse in Ireland is to be opened in Dublin today.
The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Eibhlin Byrne, made the announcement yesterday.
She said she had been approached by many people wishing to express their solidarity with the men and women who were abused at state-run institutions.
People can sign the book from 10.30am this morning at the Mansion House.
It will be open until 5pm this evening and then again tomorrow from 11am until 4pm.
Diarmuid Martin: ’Domme reactie op schokkend rapport’
Aartsbisschop Dublin boos op aartsbisschop Westminster
Geplaatst door onze redactie op zaterdag 23 mei 2009
DUBLIN (RKnieuws.net) - Aartsbisschop Diarmuid Martin van Dublin is boos op het nieuwe hoofd van de RK Kerk in Engeland en Wales, Mgr. Vincent Nichols. Aartsbisschop Martin vindt dat zijn collega-aartsbisschop van Westminster zich “erg onhandig” heeft uitgelaten over het schokkende rapport over seksueel misbruik in Ierland door RK geestelijken, dat deze week werd gepubliceerd.
De Ierse aartsbisschop neemt Mgr. Vincent Nichols kwalijk dat deze in een eerste reactie op het rapport de betrokken religieuzen prees vanwege “hun moed, dat zij hun daden hebben willen opbiechten”.
Moet moeilijk zijn geweest
Letterlijk zei de aartsbisschop van Westminster, Mgr. Nichols, in een interview met de BBC, dat “het voor de religieuzen moeilijk moet zijn geweest om zo voor je eigen zwakheden te moeten uitkomen. Zeker voor diegenen, die vinden dat zij zich vergist hebben en de kinderen alleen maar een beetje slecht behandeld hebben”.
Aan de kant van de slachtoffers
“Ik sta met mijn gedachten en woede allereerst aan de kant van de slachtoffers. Het commentaar van Mgr. Nichols diende op zijn zachtst gezegd nergens toe. De verhalen van de
slachtoffers zijn misselijkmakend en hun moed om ze te vertellen is bewonderenswaardig. Dit rapport zal nooit in een la mogen verdwijnen. Het is een schreeuw, dat wij in de toekomst nooit meer zó met onze kinderen om mogen gaan”, aldus de aartsbisschop van Dublin.
Joost Middelhoff
Geplaatst door onze redactie op zaterdag 23 mei 2009
DUBLIN (RKnieuws.net) - Aartsbisschop Diarmuid Martin van Dublin is boos op het nieuwe hoofd van de RK Kerk in Engeland en Wales, Mgr. Vincent Nichols. Aartsbisschop Martin vindt dat zijn collega-aartsbisschop van Westminster zich “erg onhandig” heeft uitgelaten over het schokkende rapport over seksueel misbruik in Ierland door RK geestelijken, dat deze week werd gepubliceerd.
De Ierse aartsbisschop neemt Mgr. Vincent Nichols kwalijk dat deze in een eerste reactie op het rapport de betrokken religieuzen prees vanwege “hun moed, dat zij hun daden hebben willen opbiechten”.
Moet moeilijk zijn geweest
Letterlijk zei de aartsbisschop van Westminster, Mgr. Nichols, in een interview met de BBC, dat “het voor de religieuzen moeilijk moet zijn geweest om zo voor je eigen zwakheden te moeten uitkomen. Zeker voor diegenen, die vinden dat zij zich vergist hebben en de kinderen alleen maar een beetje slecht behandeld hebben”.
Aan de kant van de slachtoffers
“Ik sta met mijn gedachten en woede allereerst aan de kant van de slachtoffers. Het commentaar van Mgr. Nichols diende op zijn zachtst gezegd nergens toe. De verhalen van de
slachtoffers zijn misselijkmakend en hun moed om ze te vertellen is bewonderenswaardig. Dit rapport zal nooit in een la mogen verdwijnen. Het is een schreeuw, dat wij in de toekomst nooit meer zó met onze kinderen om mogen gaan”, aldus de aartsbisschop van Dublin.Joost Middelhoff
En zonder enige twijfel werd vervolgens die Mgr Nichols ook door die vertrekkende kardinaal Cormac met zijn 'Atheism the greatest of evils" in nog wat sterkere termen aangesproken toen beiden het rapport bekeken hadden en ontdekten wat daar in staat over de spirituele of religieuse kracht en de cadeautjes van die "moedige betrokken religieuzen"!!
Veelbelovend zo'n net benoemde gemijterde die het kennelijk nog steeds niet door heeft.
donderdag, mei 21, 2009
5 delig rapport, conclussies onder politietoezicht en Michael Flanagan
05 October 2005
Mickey Flanagan's was one of the worst cases of abuse cited at the Child Abuse Commission's recent public hearing on Artane Industrial School. He was beaten so badly his arm was broken. Village tells his story for the first time
It was not the first time that Michael Flanagan had got into trouble. The 14-year-old from Donnycarney in north Dublin regularly mitched from class, and when he was caught once too often, he was taken from his family and sent to Artane Industrial School, not far from Donaghmede.
...
"I wish to express my sympathy to the parents of the child and I can assure them that nothing of the like will happen again. While giving this as a guarantee to parents and knowing the difficult conditions under which the school is run, I would point out to parents that any guarantee I give them of full protection for their children is no licence to any of the children to do what they like."
Boylan promised an inquiry into the use of the edge of a strap for slapping boys. And that was it.
'I'm not sure what happened then", says Martin Flanagan. "My mother kept everything from us. She didn't like talking about it. It wasn't really talked about. All she wanted was Mickey to be out of there. She didn't want it getting into the paper or anything."
Whatever happened between the Department of Education, the Christian Brothers and the Flanagan family, Michael was let out of Artane shortly afterwards. The brother who assaulted him was moved to another school.
Michael recovered at home, and moved to England shortly afterwards to work as a labourer. He could not read or write well.
When Jack was let out of Artane, he followed Michael over to England, and the two lived together and worked constructing railway lines.
"He became a very isolated character," says Jack Flanagan. "He was a loner. He never got married, was never really great with women, even though he was very good-looking. He went into himself after Artane.
"Before Artane he was just a normal kid, like the rest of us. He was a nice guy, happy-go-lucky. But that place left him scarred. He was still a lovely fellow, very gentle, but you got the sense there was something very wrong deep down."
Michael moved from job to job in England. He drank a lot.
"He depended very heavily on the drink," says Jack Flanagan. "Apart from working, it was nearly all he did. He'd come back from work, have a few drinks, go to bed, and get up and do it again." He also smoked heavily.
His one passion was horseracing. Despite his poor literacy skills, he could read the odds in the bookies, and was always placing bets. The only part of the newspaper he looked at was the racing pages. Over the course of the 1960s, his siblings got on with their lives. Jack got married and joined the British Army. Martin left for America. Another brother, Joseph, lived in England, but in a different part to Michael. Michael lived alone in a series of one-bedroom flats. He had few friends, and his family became his life. He rarely discussed what happened to him in Artane.
"Mickey would never talk about it," says Jack Flanagan. "I was probably the closest to him in England, but never said anything about it. If I brought it up, he'd just ignore it. He'd just clam up."
He kept in regular contact with his relatives in Ireland, and visited at least once a year. But he never set foot in the house of his youngest sister, Rita, because it was built on what were the old grounds of Artane Industrial School.
During one trip home for the funeral of another sister, while being driven to the church, he asked the driver to stop outside where the school used to be.
"He said to the man driving the car, 'stop the car here'," remembers one relative. "They stopped on the Malahide Road, outside Artane School. He says, 'that's where I went to school. Them fucking bastards', he says, and the tears were in his eyes. 'I'd love to burn that place down.' And that was completely out of character. He was a gentle guy most of the time apart from that."
As the decades wore on, Michael's drinking grew worse and his health deteriorated. He suffered from epilepsy, and was often hospitalised during severe fits. He had constant bronchitis from the smoking, which also aggravated his asthma. Towards the end of the 1960s he got a job working in Young's Brewery in London, which he held until he was discharged on medical grounds in the mid 1990s. A niece of his, Carol McCreary, moved to England and moved into Wandsworth in London, the same neighbourhood as Michael. She remembers a quiet, friendly man, who kept to himself.
"I did his shopping for him, and looked after his bills. He wasn't really able to make sense of them. He lived in a very small, one-bedroom flat. It was very basic, and he wasn't very good at looking after himself. I don't know who looked after him before I did. I used to pop by about once a week. He seemed to live on tinned vegetable soup, mostly.
"He was a loner. He was very friendly and humorous, and he knew lots of people, but he never got close to anybody.
"He never really talked about himself. I never knew anything about what happend to him [in Artane]. The only time it ever came up was when he showed me a book, Fear Of The Collar [by Patrick Touher, an account of life in Artane during the 1950s]. He just said, 'that's a good book, you should read it'. It was only after his death really that I became aware of what had happend to him in Artane."
It was Carol McCreary who found him dead, on 4 January, 1998. He hadn't been seen in his local pub, the Grovener Arms in Wandsworth, for a couple of days. The woman behind the bar rang Carol to see if he was alright.
"I went down to the flat, but I couldn't get in. I called my brother," she says. "We got in, and he was lying on the kitchen floor. The gas heater – it was one of those old fashioned ones – was on full blast. I don't know how the place didn't go on fire. I phoned the police. I knew he was dead straight away."
His death certificate recorded bronchopneumonia and chronic obstrucive airways disease as the causes of death. He was 58 years of age.
"He was so generous," says Carol McCreary. "He was so good with my little one whenever she would come round. He'd make us laugh – just over little things, anything."
Michael Flanagan wasn't mentioned by name at the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse's public hearing on Artane on 15 September. His case was raised by counsel for the Commission Brian McGovern as "an incident of a boy whose arm was broken and who was hospitalised and it was a complaint by his mother".
Brother Michael Reynolds, representing the Christian Brothers, said the Brother responsible for the beating had been subsequently transferred out of Artane to another school.
...
hele artikel
Now the Lord commanded Joshua;
I command you and obey you must;
You just march straight to those city walls
And the walls will turn to dust.
Straight up to the walls of Jericho
He marched with spear in hand,
Go blow that ram's horn, Joshua cried,
For the battle is in my hand.
The lamb ram sheep horns began to blow,
And the trumpets began to sound,
And Joshua commanded, "Now children, shout!
And the walls came tumbling down.
altaartriptiek, collecties Rijksmuseum.
woensdag, mei 20, 2009
The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Report Conclusions
Executive Summary
01 Physical and emotional abuse and neglect were features of the institutions. Sexual abuse occurred in many of them, particularly boys’ institutions. Schools were run in a severe, regimented manner that imposed unreasonable and oppressive discipline on children and even on staff.
vv 02 The system of large-scale institutionalisation was a response to a nineteenth century social problem, which was outdated and incapable of meeting the needs of individual children. The defects of the system were exacerbated by the way it was operated by the Congregations that owned and managed the schools. This failure led to the institutional abuse of children where their developmental, emotional and educational needs were not met.
v 03 The deferential and submissive attitude of the Department of Education towards the Congregations compromised its ability to carry out its statutory duty of inspection and monitoring of the schools. The Reformatory and Industrial Schools Section of the Department was accorded a low status within the Department and generally saw itself as facilitating the Congregations and the Resident Managers.
vv 04 The capital and financial commitment made by the religious Congregations was a major factor in prolonging the system of institutional care of children in the State. From the mid 1920s in England, smaller more family-like settings were established and they were seen as providing a better standard of care for children in need. In Ireland, however, the Industrial School system thrived.
vv 05 The system of funding through capitation grants led to demands by Managers for children to be committed to Industrial Schools for reasons of economic viability of the institutions.
vv 06 The system of inspection by the Department of Education was fundamentally flawed and incapable of being effective.
v 07 Many witnesses who complained of abuse nevertheless expressed some positive memories: small gestures of kindness were vividly recalled.
vv 08 More kindness and humanity would have gone far to make up for poor standards of care.
v 09 The Rules and Regulations governing the use of corporal punishment were disregarded with the knowledge of the Department of Education.
10 The Reformatory and Industrial Schools depended on rigid control by means of severe corporal punishment and the fear of such punishment.
x 11 A climate of fear, created by pervasive, excessive and arbitrary punishment, permeated most of the institutions and all those run for boys. Children lived with the daily terror of not knowing where the next beating was coming from.
x 12 Children who ran away were subjected to extremely severe punishment.
x 13 Complaints by parents and others made to the Department were not properly investigated.
14 The boys’ schools investigated revealed a pervasive use of severe corporal punishment.
x 15 There was little variation in the use of physical beating from region to region, from decade to decade, or from Congregation to Congregation.
vv 16 Corporal punishment in girls’ schools was pervasive, severe, arbitrary and unpredictable and this led to a climate of fear amongst the children.
x 17 Corporal punishment was often administered in a way calculated to increase anguish and humiliation for girls.
18 Sexual abuse was endemic in boys’ institutions.
vv The situation in girls’ institutions was different. Although girls were subjected to predatory sexual abuse by male employees or visitors or in outside placements, sexual abuse was not systemic in girls’ schools.
19 It is impossible to determine the full extent of sexual abuse committed in boys’ schools. The schools investigated revealed a substantial level of sexual abuse of boys in care that extended over a range from improper touching and fondling to rape with violence. Perpetrators of abuse were able to operate undetected for long periods at the core of institutions.
20 Cases of sexual abuse were managed with a view to minimising the risk of public disclosure and consequent damage to the institution and the Congregation. This policy resulted in the protection of the perpetrator. When lay people were discovered to have sexually abused, they were generally reported to the Gardai. When a member of a Congregation was found to be abusing, it was dealt with internally and was not reported to the Gardaí.
21 The recidivist nature of sexual abuse was known to religious authorities.
22 When confronted with evidence of sexual abuse, the response of the religious authorities was to transfer the offender to another location where, in many instances, he was free to abuse again. Permitting an offender to obtain dispensation from vows often enabled him to continue working as a lay teacher.
23 Sexual abuse was known to religious authorities to be a persistent problem in male religious organisations throughout the relevant period.
24 In the exceptional circumstances where opportunities for disclosing abuse arose, the number of sexual abusers identified increased significantly.
25 The Congregational authorities did not listen to or believe people who complained of sexual abuse that occurred in the past, notwithstanding the extensive evidence that emerged from Garda investigations, criminal convictions and witness accounts.
26 In general, male religious Congregations were not prepared to accept their responsibility for the sexual abuse that their members perpetrated.
x 27 Older boys sexually abused younger boys and the system did not offer protection from bullying of this kind.
xv 28 Sexual abuse of girls was generally taken seriously by the Sisters in charge and lay staff were dismissed when their activities were discovered. However, nuns’ attitudes and mores made it difficult for them to deal with such cases candidly and openly and victims of sexual assault felt shame and fear of reporting sexual abuse.
29 Sexual abuse by members of religious Orders was seldom brought to the attention of the Department of Education by religious authorities because of a culture of silence about the issue.
30 The Department of Education dealt inadequately with complaints about sexual abuse. These complaints were generally dismissed or ignored. A full investigation of the extent of the abuse should have been carried out in all cases.
vv 31. Poor standards of physical care were reported by most male and female complainants.
vv 32. Children were frequently hungry and food was inadequate, inedible and badly prepared in many schools.
33. Witnesses recalled being cold because of inadequate clothing, particularly when engaged in outdoor activities.
34. Accommodation was cold, spartan and bleak. Sanitary provision was primitive in most boys’ schools and general hygiene facilities were poor.
xx 35. The Cussen Report recommended in 1936 that Industrial School children should integrated into the community and be educated in outside national schools. Until the late 1960s, this was not done in any of the boys’ schools investigated and in only in a small number of girls’ schools.
xv 36. Where Industrial School children were educated in internal national schools, the standard was consistently poorer than that in outside schools.
vv 37. Academic education was not seen as a priority for industrial school children.
xx 38. Industrial Schools were intended to provide basic industrial training to young people to enable them to take up positions of employment as young adults. In reality, the industrial training afforded by all schools was of a nature that served the needs of the institution rather than the needs of the child.
39. A disturbing element of the evidence before the Commission was the level of emotional abuse that disadvantaged, neglected and abandoned children were subjected to generally by religious and lay staff in institutions.
vv 40. The system as managed by the Congregations made it difficult for individual religious who tried to respond to the emotional needs of the children in their care.
vv 41. Witnessing abuse of co-residents, including seeing other children being beaten or hearing their cries, witnessing the humiliation of siblings and others and being forced to participate in beatings, had a powerful and distressing impact.
vv 42. Separating siblings and restrictions on family contact were profoundly damaging for family relationships. Some children lost their sense of identity and kinship, which was never recovered.
43. The Confidential Committee heard evidence in relation to 161 settings other than Industrial and Reformatory Schools, including primary and second-level schools, Children’s Homes, foster care, hospitals and services for children with special needs, hostels, and other residential settings. The majority of witnesses reported abuse and neglect, in some instances up to the year 2000. Many common features emerged about failures of care and protection of children in all of these institutions and services.
Voorlopige conclussie: In ieder geval De Voorzienigheid werd niet bevolkt door marsvrouwtjes.
vv Zowel ik als anderen zaten kennelijk in een Iers instituut.
vv Het Nederlands ministerie van Justitie mbt de katholieke Zorg zowel als de RK Kinderbescherming was kennelijk onderdeel van de Ierse overheid.
vv Onderzoek o.a. aan nederlandse universiteiten w.o. mbt historische pedagogiek wordt kennelijk belemmerd door het ontbreken van kennis van het Engels resp. Iers.
De Ierse revolutie, waarvan dit staatsonderzoek mbt het residentieel verleden deel uitmaakt, (heeft) het noodzakelijk onderzoek naar, c.q. het nemen van verantwoordelijkheid door Staat én RKK, in overige (W-) Europeese landen ernstig belemmerd c.q. onmogelijk gemaakt!
De Zorg, de noodzakelijke kinderbescherming én (vroegere) tehuisbewoners in overige (W.)Europeese landen zijn hiermee geschaad.
Belastingbetalers in overige (W.) Europeese landen betalen hieraan méér dan hun deel mee.
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