It is nice to see that the people of Ireland are not simply bowing to the Vatican's wishes for once. I think they have finally begun to realize that the Catholic church does not care about them, just as it did not care about them when it sold their entire island to the English in 1155.
This comes from the Irish Independent.
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Sinead O'Connor joins a chorus of outrage as Irish Catholic bishops propose asking churchgoers to help pay child abuse bill
Two Catholic bishops have sparked outrage by suggesting churchgoers should foot the bill rising out child abuse by clergymen.
The Bishop of Ferns, Denis Brennan, drew the ire of abuse victims by appealing for parishioners to pay 60,000 euro ($90,000) a year between them for 20 years towards compensation bills.
Ferns in County Wexford was arguably the most notorious area of Ireland for child sex abuse by Catholic priests, with more than 100 allegations of child sexual abuse made between 1962 and 2002 against 21 priests operating in the diocese.
In a letter published in today's Irish Independent, singer Sinead O'Connor speaks about her astonishment at Bishop Brennan's request to his flock to pay bills arising from the horrific sex abuse in his diocese.
The outspoken singer says the Vatican has always put its business interests before the interests of children.
Ms O'Connor says that: "If Christ was here he would be burning down the Vatican. And I for one would be helping him."
A spokesman for Bishop of Killaloe Willie Walsh said he would consider following the controversial lead of Bishop Brennan, should it become necessary, the Irish Independent reports.
"Bishop Walsh would be prepared to consider such an option in the diocese in consultation with parish pastoral councils and finance committees if it became necessary," the spokesman said.
Abuse victims angrily lashed out at Bishop Brennan for asking parishioners to help meet compensation and legal bills.
One victim, Christine Buckley, said she was "absolutely reeling" from the invitation made by Bishop Brennan for 100,000 parishioners in 80 parishes to pay 60,000 euro ($90,000) each year until 2030 to meet an outstanding debt of €1.2m.
She also accused church patrons of acting "like Judas" towards victims.
Another victim, Colm O'Gorman, said he would discourage people from contributing to the bishop's appeal.
"I would encourage them to get the church to look to its own assets and wealth," Mr O'Gorman said.
