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1. Perhaps it's time these people were sent to jail for their crimes, the root of which is gross stupidity.

   Posted By: jonah

2. I can't believe this! The other bishops, priests and deacons mustcome out strongly and condemn this kind of clerical abuse upon abuse. This is appalling.

   Posted By: DD

3. For the life of me, I cannot understand how these evil wolves in sheeps' clothing can do such and evil thing. I love true catholic priests, they have the hardest job on earth if they live according to Christ's teaching, but we as adults should be on guard for these wolves, after all the Bible tells us that out of 12 apostles one betrayed him, if one betrayed him when the grass was green then how much more would betray him now that the grass is dry.
   This is very sad indeed however, it is a fact so we too must be always weary of the possibility that these things happen and we need to tread very carefully in trusting not just certain priest but all humanity regardless of their positions.
   No amount of money will ever compensate for those that suffered, it would be better to pray for the church as Satan will use all its power to destroy it.
   As for poor old Sinead O'Connor, she is a very sad case. She is not protesting in support for the abused, she is there for her own personal needs, she hates the catholic church with a passion, she had an abortion and since then she finds the catholic church her personal enemy, indeed I feel sorry for her because she is one angry woman, and chooses to use these victims for her own needs Sinead nothing compares to you.
   

   Posted By: Pat

4. Absolutely astounding! That the bishop of Ireland would ask parishioners to pay for the sins of clerical sexual abusers is beyond belief. Sell some property, bishops... or some treasures. The cost - in every sense - must be paid by those who were responsible for the damage.

   Posted By: c.d.

5. Jesus shed his blood for us - it seems the church can't do the same but put it on the parishoners? Wake up and pay for your crime instead of hording it in the banks and properties, adding scandal to scandal - the pride of wealth of the Catholic Church is sickening and this goes to show it.

   Posted By: Stephen

6. Are these Bishops absolutely stupid? How to win friends and influence people! Is it an irish joke. Go sell some of the Bishops palaces and give the money to the poor victims would be more like it. Go back to live simply like St Patrick.

   Posted By: martin fleming

7. The Bishop is suggesting that each parishioner pays less than 50 cents per year in reparation. In view of the public silence when the abuse was happening, it does not seem an inordinate burden of reparation. It is called accepting responsibility - or does that only apply to bishops?

   Posted By: AlexP

8. This proposal is utter stupidity. What are these bishops trying to do?Completely destroy the Catholic Church in Ireland?

   Posted By: John Tobin

9. Well said, Martin. This bishop is making the church look a laughing stock. How about these Irish bishops sell a few church properties??

   Posted By: Tom Tucker

10. I am disgusted with this attitude of the Irish Bishops as I was with the fizzer of a visit to the Vatican they wasted their money on. When will these blokes get it? At that meeting they talked about how it will take a long time to regain trust in the Church and that not all priests are bad and rubbish of this nature. They did not speak of the children abused of the lives damaged. They are so narcissistic about themselves and their identity with this Church that they are hardly recognisable as human let alone Christian.
    Wake up to yourselves, boys, and join the human race. Then we all might be Church.

    Posted By: Brian Atherton

11. Amazing how an organisation as wealthy as the Catholic Church which has squeezed money from it devotees for centuries can expect these same people to bail out the wrong doers.
    Pay the bill yourselves.
    While you're at it, sell most of the hidden treasures of the Vatican (most of which never see the light of day) and do something genuine for eradicating world poverty instead of just praying (or should it be preying) for the poor.

    Posted By: Dave

12. To AlexP: Even 50 cents is too much to pay when these people placed their faith and trust in those priests and bishops. Some of them may have known and not believed that these people were abusing their children.
    Let the Bishops find the money another way.
    

    Posted By: Jon

13. Those Bishops mixed up Priests with Parishioners about who should pay. No Bishop could be that insensitive or stupid - or could he? It is time to come down and mix with the Faithful while we still have some parishioners.

    Posted By: John M Costigan

14. So many faithful Catholics and Religious who have sat in silence when sex abuse has been reported or come to light, whichever comes first out of misdirected loyality, while their Bishops have allowed these men worldwide to dig their own graves and now have the audacity to appeal for $90.000 a year for 20 years for compensation? That is ludicrous. The poor Irish.

    Posted By: L Newingtonl

15. Sad to say I think this is another level of immorality on top of the sexual abuse.
    How much abuse should the poor People
    of God have to endure?
    Where and when are they doing their public penance? I do hope that this is not the result of their meeting with the Holy Father recently.
    Please God the story is wrong.

    Posted By: david anthony davies

16. Thank you Sinead O'Connor for supporting clergy abuse victims rather than the business interests of the Vatican.

    Posted By: Norma Villarreal

17. It's time the fraud stopped. It is unnatural for a man, or woman to suppress their most driven appetite (after eating) only to use it on children, then cover up and now they want the faithful to pay for these selfish, wicked sins. Not likely.

    Posted By: Art Ryan (AR)

18. Are the Irish Bishops able to say if this outrageous proposal was discussed in the Vatican during the two day talkfest or is it a local idea?
    It is a pity the victims and their problems are still at the bottom of the pile but the protection of assets seems to be right up there at the top.
    This action is almost unbelievable but considering how long the abuse problem was hidden it is not without its audacious brilliance in concept.
    It seems that clergy can abuse you, but you are responsible, and you pay. What an insult to people.
    Surely the head of the Church in Ireland can't go along with this monstrous idea.
    

    Posted By: Laurie Sheehan

19. This is a strong point in the argument for the ordination of female or married priests. Paedophiles often become Catholic priests. Women or married men, whilst possibly being paedophiles, are far less likely to be so. This whole sorry mess might never have happened if this shift in thinking had been made years ago.

    Posted By: Dave

20. Bishop Brennan had no part in the clerical sex abuse cases or cover-ups. He has implemented new guidelines for the protection of children in the future and is doing his best to ensure that all those who suffered are financially compensated.
    His proposal is to raise a mortgage on his own residence to pay compensation and, as he has no personal income, his only hope of paying it back is help for his parishioners.
    The diocese of Ferns is not wealthy and apart from its churches and a few parish halls has very little property.
    Sinead O’ Connor very publicly left the Catholic Church and her agenda is obvious she is trying to use her fading “celebrity” to inflict maximum damage.
    Those of us who love and respect what the church has always stood for and wish to see it rediscover and resume its former calling will be glad to continue to support the bishop in any way we can.

    Posted By: AlexP

21. The Holy Father has publicly commented that no woman can become a priest. Priests do not become paedophiles, paedophiles become priests. An astounding fact is that the major proportion of paedophiles are male (just in case the Pope didn't know). The logical conclusion? Bring in female priests and allow all priests (male and female) to marry. Don't allow perverts into the priesthood to begin with.

    Posted By: Dave

22. Who do they think has to pay? We are the church!
    These attacks agains the church are an attack against us. Sure, these priests have done terrible things, however when a teacher or lawyer or doctor falls to the same crime, the whole education, legal or medical system isn't considered responsible.
    How about a song against Sinead O'connor?
    
    

    Posted By: Daniel

23. The heinous actions of a few, just as good done by the many, affect the whole Body of Christ's Church. I believe we are all bound to pray, atone, and assist, in reparation. These priests remain our brothers in Christ.

    Posted By: John

24. Those Religious who have offended either belong to their diocese or a particular Religious Order. Those who belong to the diocese do not take a vow of poverty, they are free to earn an income. Those who belong to Religious Orders take a vow of poverty and share everything in common with their community.
    The Christian Brothers have led the way by offering a $261 million package of measures in way of reparation and to help the victims of this tragic abuse to heal. They further acknowledge their participation and the lived reality of the victims, of which this money will never fully compensate.
    It is the responsibility of the Bishop to look after his diocese and his priests. It would be sad for the diocese's Cathedral to be auctioned off to the highest bidder, a great loss for the members of the diocese. But maybe this might just be part of the sacrifice the Church must be willing to make if they are genuine about helping to heal those it has wounded.
    For those people who condemn Sinead O'Connor, discover the person behind the hyped up media reports and you might just find a deeply spiritual and reflective person.
    Her latest album, Theology, where she sings the Psalms (as they are meant to be sung) and the Prophets, is remarkable. Her previous release, Throw Down Your Arms, is her reggae dub album which also takes inspiration from Isaiah.
    Check her out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVE9oL-c6js

    Posted By: Damien

25. This says it all: a quick whip around, a chook raffle, a school fete to raise urgent funds to compensate victims of abuse by clergy - what a brilliant idea!
    Or, each parish could bet its $90,000 on a horse in the Irish Grand National and hope for odds of 10-1.
    Or, how about $90,000 worth of tickets in the Irish Lotto?
    Alternately the Catholic church could sell off its assets to pay the significant compensation; thereby becoming poor again (I don't think Jesus had 'two bob to rub together') and genuinely lead people to God. What chance?

    Posted By: Mike b

26. How dare anybody ask parishioners to pay for clergy mistakes! Compensation for clergy abuse against youth and children, ie parishioners etc, should be paid for by the Irish church and Rome. The clergy allowed the criminal behaviour to exist and then followed with the cover ups. Mea culpa - pay up!

    Posted By: Sandy Dunne

27. Can you imagine how a victim of child abuse would feel if they were sitting in the pews on Sunday, surrounded by people who were being 'taxed' to pay for the crimes of their perpetrators. It could lead to a situation where victims of abuse would not come forward because it would be thier mums and dads, and relatives and friends, being forced to pay money towards compensation.
    It is so ludicrous that I can't even believe it is being floated as a possibility.
    Perhaps some of our good bishops can give these Irish bishops a bit of fraternal feedback on this.

    Posted By: c.d.

28. I agree with Daniel - we are the Church! But I also agree that the bishops need to sell church property

    Posted By: annemie

29. Monday, I've only just got around to reading this so probably no one will read it. I agree that most of the reparation should be paid by the instutional Church, including religious orders
    I can assure you that the unsung laity do have some responsibility. They ridiculed, rubbished, and destroyed the reputations of poeple of incredible integrity so they could go on being happy in there parish confines. Now they have discovered the cover-up is real they do not want to pay.
    Face up. Bring back the communal rite of reconciliation. I may even attend.

    Posted By: elizabeth

30. I'd hope, c.d., that victims of abuse sitting in the pews at Mass could find consolation in concentrating their minds and hearts on Christ's redeeming victimhood and their sharing in it and its salvific purpose; and on the example and gift of his forgiving love, which is at the core of his message and distinctive revelation of God.
    At some point in healing, of which we must never despair, and perhaps as its main indicator beyond even the most valid demands for justice, I'd hope and pray that the liberating power of forgiving malefactors would prevail.

    Posted By: John

31. I was 'gobsmacked' when I first read this in the secular press late last week.It makes the Catholic Church leadership in Ireland look even more out of touch with reality.
    Maybe it is time that some Dioceses went bankrupt.
    As other correspondents have commented, Jesus did not have two cents to rub together. It is certainly time that the leadership looks at their role in this crisis.
    I am convinced that there is a crying need for the current practice of selection of candidates to be reviewed and that the Priesthood be opened to married men.
    I have witnessed at first hand the dedication of married clergy in our sister Faiths. They seem to be able to perform their duties as well as or better than our Clergy.

    Posted By: Gavin

32. The Bishop who proposed it claimed money was needed to off-set legal costs resulting from the the sexual abuse against children investigations despite the fact that the Irish Church reluctantly and reluctantly 'cooperated' with the investigations.
    They delayed and lied to the investigators thus making the costs even greater than they would have been. Their condemnation of the abuse was muted - almost silent - and they were barely heard. Yet the Bishop of Kerry has been has been very loud in condemning the removal of a Sacred Heart statute from the front entrance of a Kerry hospital and his voice was not heard condemning very loudly, if at all, the rape of children by Catholic clerics. It seems the statue is more important to him than the child victims.

    Posted By: Michael

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