Letters to the Editor
McEntee article was offensive
Dear Madam,
Reading through The Anglo-Celt issue of Thursday, February 9, last was a rather disturbing task if you were a victim of clerical sexual or physical abuse or one who has tried to defend the many thousands of victims of such abuse down through the decades.
Firstly one was confronted on the front page by the republished article by John McEntee making light of the affect his experience of sexual abuse by a De La Salle brother in the Cavan boys school run by the order during the 60s.
This article has caused much anger, hurt and damage to those who have suffered in many cases a lifelong burden of shame and guilt because their innocence was taken advantage of by those purporting to be in God's service.
While Mr McEntee claims he was not affected by this abuse, the fact is the majority of such abuse victims were most certainly greatly affected, with a number choosing to end their life; such was the trauma they carried into adulthood.
If this religious brother was showing kindness to the boys he chose to abuse then I would suggest he was using a favourite paedophile method, which is today called grooming. If there is one good thing to come out of this article it is that it confirms that Cavan like most towns with religious congregations in charge of children has not been spared this scourge of clerical and religious sex abuse.
Then enter Peadar O'Bradaigh or Peter Brady and his weekly column, A Rural View. This gentleman has been given a platform to give us a weekly homily.
However it is my view that much of what we hear in his column is a very narrow conservative Catholic and Anglo-phobic rhetoric that would have been more common in the '40s or '50s than the year 2012.
I was brought up a Catholic and all my family are still practising the faith. I don't hate the Church Peter, but I do hate the abuse carried out by those wearing the clerical habit or collar. I hate the attempts to cover up such abuse.
I would respectfully request that the editor apologise for the hurt caused by the Anglo-Celt's decision to republish the McEntee article and maybe even Peadar O'Bradaigh would have a rethink on the offence his writings can cause.
Yours sincerely,
Sean Galligan,
Corlislea, Ballinagh
Response from
the editor
The Anglo-Celt considered carefully over numerous days whether or not to reprint Mr McEntee's article and what was published was a somewhat edited version from that already printed in The Oldie magazine.
The Anglo-Celt has never trivialised the serious issue of sexual abuse. In fact, our main motivation in publishing the piece was to confirm that the abuse did take place. Mr McEntee is a well-known and respected journalist and writer.
He is entitled to his point of view. We are, of course, happy to extend our platform to other survivors of abuse (subject to proper legal procedure).
It is difficult, of course, to get such people to come forward.
You note yourself that the articles are positive in that they confirm that such abuse also occurred in Cavan. This was a key point in our decision to publish the article. While he may claim he was unaffected, there are countless others who are deeply affected by such abuse.
We hope Mr McEntee's courage and his rightful lack of shame as a victim would encourage others to contact the relevant authorities and counselling services.
The Anglo-Celt fulfilled its responsibilities in contacting the De La Salle order and the Rian counselling service in the north east in connection with the publication of these pieces. Both replies were carried with Mr McEntee's article.
In relation to Peter Brady, he is a popular columnist with The Anglo-Celt covering many general issues affecting rural parishes throughout County Cavan.
As is the case with all columnists, his opinions are his own and readers are entitled to agree or disagree with those views via the Readers' Forum pages.
'Despicable and disgraceful'
Also on John McEntee's story, a reader called Sean writes on our website: "This is a despicable and disgraceful piece by John McEntee. This article will no doubt cause much anguish and anger by those who suffered clerical sexual and physical abuse."
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