Healy criticises 'unspeakable abuse of most vulnerable'
Religious orders damaged the nation’s most vulnerable children and abused human dignity, Cori director Fr Sean Healy said today.
In a dramatic statement to an Oireachtas Committee, the high-profile social campaigner finally broke his silence on the five-volume Ryan Report on institutional abuse.
Fr Healy said the findings, released a week ago, were a catalogue of injustice characterised by an unspeakable level of abuse of human dignity and a massive lack of compassion.
Cori represents 138 religious orders, including the 18 congregations which abused children in their institutions.
“The pain and hurt caused to so many people in these institutions on such a vast scale is horrendous,” Fr Healy told the Oireachtas Committee on Social & Family Affairs.
“It was extensive and systemic. It was far worse that we realised. No words can convey the horror, pain, shame and anger felt by us at the revelations contained in the report.”
Fr Healy said the damage caused to innocent children was incalculable and had major repercussions for them and their families across several generations.
He quoted the Gospel and invoked the principals of the Towards 2016 social partnership document which cherishes all children equally.
He told the all-party body that failings at every level by religious orders were reprehensible.
“For the religious congregations these include the huge failure of leadership across the system and across a range of administrations.
“It portrays an abomination that cannot be excused on any basis whatsoever.”
He added: “Everything possible should be done both concretely and symbolically to make restitution for the huge wrongs that have been done to some of the nation’s most vulnerable children.”
