September 2011 - Irish American News

September 2011 Irish American News “We’ve Always Been Green!” 35Why Do Bishops Cover Up?Author, Tom Mooney, “is editorof The Wexford Echo group of newspapers.”His reporting has won several prestigiousawards, including an AmnestyInternational Media Award.Since 1990, Mooney has fearlesslyreported on the sexual molestationscandal. He tells the story of the abuseof children in one Irish diocese, butreaders know this sordid problem isworldwide.Priests who molested children “wereshunted from parish to parish or frompsychiatrist to psychiatrist and canonlaw used to protect the abuser, not theabused.” Why do bishops do this? I suggesttwo theories to explain this.One suggestion to explain why bishopsprotect child molesters, is about thechurch itself. A church belief is “thatthe presence of evil is compatible withfaith. One proves the existence of theother.” But, does this mean that the molestingof children is to be tolerated?Another suggestion is the possiblemindset of the bishops. Do they believethat once a man has been ordained, heis a priest forever?But the “made man” in the mafia is“made” forever too.Is there a difference then, betweenAl Capone or Whitey Bulger protectingtheir criminal henchmen, and a bishopprotecting his criminal henchmen?The bishop preaches love andkindness. But to the molested, this ishigh-pocrisy.Tom Mooney is a careful observerof human actions. His book is well researchedand quite readable. It will generatemany emotions and questions.All the Bishop’s Men, by Tom Mooney,The Collins Press and DuFour Editions.factotum@dufoureditions.com.A recent Wall Street Journal had an articleabout the Cloyne Report and PrimeMinister Enda Kenny’s speech about it.Kenny is incredulous that from 1996to 2009 complaints against 19 priests inthe Cloyne Diocese for molesting childrenwere not reported to police. Kenny,also accused the Vatican of trying tostop the Cloyne Report. It “exposesan attempt by the church to frustratean inquiry in a sovereign, democraticrepublic.”The former Archbishop of Cloyne,John Magee, escaped from Ireland tothe United States, and is now believedto be hiding here.PowerfulValues for ChildrenThey broke down the door of TomasMacCurtain’s home, and crashed in. Theyhad blackened their faces, but wore regulationRoyal Irish Constabulary shoes.They pushed his children aside, and evenhis very pregnant wife. They ran upstairsand shot MacCurtain to death.MacCurtain was the first IrishRepublican Lord Mayor of Cork. Hehad been active in the IRA’s War forIndependence.The time was 1920—a time ofdeadly retaliation by British forces. TheRoyal Irish Constabulary was part ofthat British occupation force.I believe wearing the official RICshoes was deliberate intimidation, andMichael Collins believed this too.Collins greatly respected MacCurtain,and promised his widow to avengehis killing. His agents tracked downmany of the raiders and killed them.One, thought to be the leader, was shotwith Curtain’s pistol.This is another book in the wonderfulseries: Irish Heroes for Children.So You Want to Review Books?By Frank West"The past is the present, isn't it?It's the future too!"This powerful comment by EugeneO'Neill summarizes my interestsin books to review.I taught history for many yearsand like to review books aboutireland's history, biography andtheatre.However, there are many areasI have little knowledge of: sports,Tomas MacCurtain is an example ofstrong family values and of dedicationto principle.The Story of Tomas MacCurtain, byFionnuala MacCurtain, Mercier Pressand DuFour Editions. factotum@dufoureditions.com.dance, music, art, etc. A knowledgeblereviewer is needed for thoseareas. The publisher will supply youwith the books.Please send a summary of yourinterests and writing experienceto: editor@irishamericannews.com.There is no pay, but the books areyours to keep, and there will besome benefits like plays to reviewor authors to interview!