Bishop Walsh defends his silence

BISHOP of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh has admitted he may face some criticism over the timing of his disclosure about his role in a canonical process concerning allegations of child sex abuse involving two priests in the Dublin Archdiocese.
Bishop Walsh said that people had a right to question and criticise bishops for the way they had handled child abuse by members of the clergy.
Asked if it would have been more opportune to issue a statement about his role in the case involving paedophile priest William Carney after the publication of the Murphy Report, Bishop Walsh recalled he had considered this course of action but decided not to make public comments.
The bishop revealed there were a number of factors that prompted him to outline his role in the establishment of the equivalent of a criminal court examining allegations about William Carney, who was subsequently dismissed from the Church in 1992.
He said that Pope Benedict’s request that all the Irish bishops “establish the truth of what has happened in the past”, the controversy surrounding Cardinal Seán Brady’s role in a particular case and a number of questions from journalists about his own role in cases prompted him to release a statement on Monday.
“Following the publication of the Murphy Report, I didn’t receive any requests to outline my role in any of these cases and I didn’t see any need to put this information into the public domain at that particular time.
“When I lot of people started asking questions about any involvement I may have had, I felt if I didn’t reply there may be a suspicion that I had something to hide. I don’t feel I have anything to hide and I have not been engaged in any form of cover-up in relation to child sexual abuse by priests.
“Over the years, I have also felt that the only way to deal with this issue is to be truthful, open and transparent,” he said.
In 1990, when the bishop was a curate in Ennis he was asked by the Archbishop of Dublin, Desmond Connell to be one of three judges in a canonical process involving allegations of sexual abuse against two priests of that diocese.
The bishop was made aware that the gardaí and the diocese were already in communication about the case before the canonical process began.
In a statement, the bishop said, “I did not understand it as part of my role, therefore, to liaise with the gardaí in relation to the matter. If I were dealing with the case today, I would do so. The two other judges in the case have since died. I am not aware of any further abuse by the priest after the canonical process was completed.
”The second case in the Dublin diocese in which I was involved was also examined by the Murphy Commission. The relevant chapter is as yet unpublished for legal reasons.
“I am precluded by law from revealing anything related to this case until that chapter is published. I will then be accountable for my role when that occurs.
“While I was not involved in any such process in our own diocese, I too as a younger priest was part of that oppressive culture of secrecy and undue deference to ecclesiastical authorities.
“For that part and for the disastrously inadequate response of our Church to the heinous crime of child sex abuse, I will always carry a sense of sadness, regret and shame. I again apologise to all victims of abuse but especially to any victim who may have suffered through any failure on my part,” he said.
Bishop Walsh said since he became bishop in 1994, he was satisfied that he had tried to treat every victim with sympathy, kindness and the deep respect to which they are entitled.
“I have reported all cases to the statutory authorities – gardaí and HSE – and co-operated fully with them. My primary concern at all times has been to try to bring healing to victims,” he added.