In the light of the recent events surrounding the Commission of Enquiry into Child Sex Abuse by priests in the Dublin Diocese, I thought it might be a good time to remind everyone of the Child Protection Policies adopted by the parish of Francis Street.

You can download and print a copy of the full text of the Policies on this page. You can also get a printed copy of the document from the sacristy. Before these policies were put in place lay members of the parish undertook a training programme. This programme gave them the ability to deal with people's questions in relation to child abuse.

The Parish "Child Protection Representative" (a lay person) is not a counsellor but someone who can help you to access information and make complaints if you wish to do so.

To contact the Parish CPR please ring:

086-2295655

You can safely leave a message on this phone. The code for the mail box is known only to the Parish CPR. It is possible to meet with the CPR for a conversation. Your conversation is confidential within the normal bounds of confidentiality.

The work of the Commission will continue and a report is due around September. This report will not make pleasant reading. It will be difficult for all, but especially for those who have been abused, many of whom are still in therapy and coming to terms with the horror of what has happened to them.

As a Church our first concern must always be those who have been abused. The present Archbishop, Diarmuid Martin, has committed the Diocese to full co-operation with the Commission. The fact that the Commission is not within the power or control of the Church is very important to those who have been abused. At the heart of all abuse is the gross misuse of power and control. That is why this Commission is such a powerful symbol for those who have been abused.

Until we as a Church and Diocese, openly and truthfully face our responsibilities in relation to what happened to those who were abused and how we as an institution dealt with the abuse, it will not be possible for those who have been abused nor the Church to appropriately move on.

Moving on, is not the same as simply putting behind us something that we are uncomfortable with or ashamed of. We have to do all we can to help those who have been abused to move from being victims, to people with a real possibility of life lived to the full. For some that may be a very long journey. We must never allow ourselves to forget them. To do so, would be to abandon the Gospel, The Living Word, that our lives must be based on.

Fr. Martin
Feb 2008