Bishop Wright has apologised that priests in his diocese used their positions of trust, power and authority to sexually abuse children, and then used that power, control and authority, to conceal their acts. He went on to say, that the abuse perpetrated by the priests was: “exacerbated on occasion by the failures of church leaders” and had caused “real and enduring harm” to the victims, their families and many others.”

Why will the Verona Fathers not apologise for the sexual abuse that took place at Mirfield? As far as I am aware, they know now, and they knew then, that priests at Mirfield were abusing children.

Why is it that so many religious, orders, even when faced with overwhelming evidence of abuse, will not hold their hands up and say we failed and we are sorry, so let us talk? Instead, what seems to happen, and what is often said is – abuse did not take place; it was just inappropriate actions; you are lying; you are in it for the money; it was too long ago; we dealt with abuse differently then – or as I heard recently, “it is a conspiracy and you want to destroy us.” It was then followed by: – we the priests, and the order as a whole, are also suffering as a result of the abusers (that were named).

They are all in denial land or cover up land – whatever land it is, it is a completely different place to the one that I live in. We must protect our name and our church at all costs – that is the land that they seem to be living in.

Their Church – what, and who, is their church, and what does it stand for – more importantly, who does it belong to and where is it now?

They have no idea, they could not possibly have – or at least I hope so – of the pain and suffering that they are causing so many people by their inaction.

Mark

http://www.theherald.com.au/story/1608135/video-bishops-unreserved-apology-inquiry/?cs=305