Survivors of clergy sex abuse have called for the resignation of Ireland’s Cardinal Sean Brady following further disclosure of his role in a cover-up.
Brendan Boland’s memoir “Sworn to Secrecy” reproduces for the first time an oath of secrecy that he signed and that the then Fr Brady co-signed in the 1970s.
When he was an altar server, Boland had suffered horrific abuse from serial abuser Fr Brendan Smyth for three years.
After the teenager told a Dominican priest about the abuse, a secret canonical inquiry was convened, for which Fr Brady acted as notary.
The 14-year-old was required to attend the inquiry alone.
Mr Boland acquired transcripts of the inquiry through legal discovery procedures when he took a High Court action against the Archdiocese of Armagh and Cardinal Brady.
They show he was asked about any sexual encounters he might have had with other men, masturbation and confession.
Brendan Boland and his father were assured in 1975 that Fr Smyth would be dealt with.
But the priest continued to abuse other children for two decades before he was convicted on dozens of counts.
Mr Boland said he “knew that the quizzing about confession was all about me and my fault”.
“Then I was just terrified and scared.
“Today I am angry, furious. Even as I am recounting this, I want to smash my fist against the bloody wall beside me,” he said.
Mr Boland’s case was settled in 2012 for €100,000 plus costs, after Cardinal Brady had offered €10,000 compensation in 2011.
Mr Boland told The Tablet Cardinal Brady might like to consider resigning immediately.
The cardinal is due to submit his resignation to the Pope when he turns 75 in August.
Marie Kane, who was one of six survivors of clerical abuse who met Pope Francis two weeks ago, has threatened to write to the Pope if Cardinal Brady does not offer his resignation now.
Similar calls for Cardinal Brady’s resignation were made several years ago, when Mr Boland took part in a TV documentary outlining the way his complaints were handled by the Church.
The apostolic nuncio to Ireland, Archbishop Charles Brown, said he had not read the book, but expressed confidence in Cardinal Brady.
In 2010, Cardinal Brady apologised to those who had been hurt by Fr Smyth’s abuse.
Sources
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