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Sinead O'Connor: Pope should visit Ireland and apologise to child abuse victims

Monday, 4 January 2010

Sin�ad O'Connor

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Singer Sinead O'Connor has said that the Pope should come to Ireland to personally apologise to the Irish people for the litany of crimes against children outlined in the Ryan and Murphy reports.

"In 1987, the Church in Ireland took out an insurance policy to protect themselves from claims they foresaw would be brought against them from survivors of clerical abuse and their families. If they knew as far back as 1987, why did they not deal with the issue then?" she said.

"In all this time and with the Ryan report and now the Murphy report, why did neither Pope John Paul II or Pope Benedict get on a plane and come to Ireland to meet the survivors, to personally apologise and thank them for their bravery in coming forward?

"It seems to me the Church themselves should have been the ones to bring this matter into the public arena," she said. "One of the reasons I feel so passionately about these issues is that I am myself a survivor of severe child abuse."

She said that by resigning, Catholic bishops were actually getting off the hook.

"I myself would go much further and say that the Vatican itself should now be the subject of criminal investigation into what went on in the Irish Catholic Church," she says. "They knew in 1987 what was going on in the Irish Church -- they did nothing but act to preserve their business interests."

The singer, who was also known as Sister Bernadette, said that she had spoken to survivors and people who campaigned for years to expose what was going on in the Church and she was humbled by their stories.

"These are the people who acted in the interests of children and in the interests of Catholicism. Ireland owes them a massive debt of gratitude for bringing us the truth and therefore allowing us to disentangle ourselves from. . . oppression and lies."

She also called on the Republic's Children's Minister Barry Andrews to organise for a monument, to be paid for by the Catholic Church, to be erected in every diocese "to honour and thank these brave people who have fought to be heard and changed the course of Irish history".

"Their names should be set in stone so that this country will never forget their courage and they will remain an inspiration for generations to come," she added.

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I am Australian of Irish Catholic descent and one who knows too closely priests abuse. The Pope apologised in Australia. I do wonder how much of this abuse was bred as a distorted means to control the pain and loss of the time of colonisation with its humiliation and control and the time of starvation of the Irish that you call the Famine. Yes I think the Pope should show the courage that Sinead has shown. She put her career on the line and has continued to follow through. There has to be acknowledgement and unconditional apology from the highest level and that means the Pope so that healing can begin in Ireland and the diaspora.

Posted by john | 06.01.10, 09:26 GMT

The RC Church got rid of native Irish Celtic Christianity and instead imposed itself on Ireland through the force of English arms. Indeed, it was Pope Adrian IV who gave the Anglo-Normans explicit authority to invade Ireland and reform her "barbarous" ways. The Church has always, and probably will always look out for itself before anything else. Expecting real reform seems a forlorn hope.

Posted by John Q. Public | 05.01.10, 11:53 GMT

She's absolutely correct. I am always impressed with her ability to tell the truth. It is refreshing. And never easy.

Posted by Meredith | 05.01.10, 00:16 GMT

Can't criticise Liam for walking out, "adherents" can do nothing to change policy in what is a non democratic organisation.
If you want to have a say in affairs perhaps it is worth joining one of the newer religious groups still in their formative years.

Posted by jonno | 04.01.10, 23:44 GMT

Who is Sinead O' Connor? Is she anyone of importance? Does anyone listen to what she has to say?

Posted by Spot_On | 04.01.10, 21:34 GMT

Excellent advice. Pity the Church will not positively res[pond to the request. Even Jesus could not get them to do something to make amends for their betrayal of the people and the Commandments.

Posted by Patrick J. Corr | 04.01.10, 17:16 GMT

The Roman Catholic Church did little to help us Irish during famine and oppression...hardly a shilling of the vast wealth of Rome was brought to bear to bring relief to the starving Irish during the famine....remember that it was this same Church that inspired the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169 thanks to Pope Adrian, an Englishman...and remember that Pope Innocent provided funds to none other than William of Orange to help defeat James II...

Posted by T O'Neill | 04.01.10, 16:01 GMT

The Irish people have been loyal to the Church through famine and oppression. They deserve better.

Posted by JerryF | 04.01.10, 14:57 GMT

Liam
Thought you'd left ages ago. Go ahead, take the easy way, but don't bang the door on your way out. But you'll still find it unlocked if you ever grow up and come back. Same as your friend Sinead. Bye bye.

Posted by Fair Play | 04.01.10, 12:13 GMT