An Irish Church investigation has come to absolutely damning findings that the Church actively covered up institutionalized sexual abuse for thirty years. Via the Irish Times:

The Commission of Investigation into Dublin?��Ǩ�Ѣs Catholic Archdiocese has concluded that there is ?��Ǩ?�no doubt?��Ǩ�� that clerical child sexual abuse was covered up by the archdiocese and other Church authorities.

The commission?��Ǩ�Ѣs report covers the period between January 1st 1975 and April 30th 2004. It said there cover-ups took place over much of this period.

In its report, published this afternoon, it has also found that ?��Ǩ?�the structures and rules of the Catholic Church facilitated that cover-up.?��Ǩ��

It also found that ?��Ǩ?�the State authorities facilitated the cover-up by not fulfilling their responsibilities to ensure that the law was applied equally to all and allowing the Church institutions to be beyond the reach of the normal law enforcement processes.?��Ǩ��

(Irish Times: Commission finds Church covered up child sex abuse)

(Previously on Dangerous Minds: Canonizing Sinead O’Connor)

Thanks for linking this story to your blog. It’s important to inform as many people as possible about the destruction that has taken place in Ireland. This report, that was delayed for years because of, amongst other reasons, reluctance to let investigators view church files on priests, is only a sample case of one archdiocese in the country. If the same investigation was applied to the rest of the country it would be overwhelmingly more devastating. One bishop has already stated since the report was released yesterday that investigations shouldn’t continue to the other archdiocese in the country! Why? Because the country is in a recession and these investigations are too costly.

They are a dangerous joke.

Despite the travesty of the church nothing has been implemented to change the system in the country to reduce their authority. They still administer over 90% of all schools, which are paid for by the public.

This is what happens when you hand power over to a religious institution. It can only lead to destruction.

Well put, Mick. Thank you.

Hmmm, the same moral authority threatening to withdraw all charity work in the Washington DC metropolitan area if the city doesn’t get rid of gay marriage. I guess homosexual interaction is only o.k. if it is non-consensual, secret, and when it takes place between an adult in a position of authority and a child.

I guess that isn’t fair; in this situation there has probably been plenty of heterosexual abuse as well.