"Yes, what you say is true for some locations."
It happened in enough locations to be described as commonplace Joe
In Ireland is has been accepted as having happened without dispute - you may find pockets where that was not the case, but what I described was commonplace - there are no reports of whistle-blowers siding with the victims and supporting their complaints
The churches have been found out and have pleaded gui;ty - the government had ordered to pay some reparation and has agreed to foot a large proportion of the bill (which is being paid for by the taxpayer)
Some of the church groups have refused to pay
There is no dispute that the Church as a body acted to cover it up these crimes and continue to do so by refusing to pass on vital documented information.
The major documentary on the scandal, Mea Maxima Culpa, was based on events in the U.S.
All this is a done deal - all that needs to be decided now is whether the church should ever have access to people's minds and bodies ever again - the faithful are boting with their feet on that one, hence the empty churches and shortages of priests.
It's more than a scandal - it's a crucial question on the trustworthiness of the church as an organisation and it's spread into education and to health care
Had the referendum on same sex marriage taken place before the clerical abuse revelations, Ireland would still be living in the dark ages
As it is, the threats of excommunication fell on deaf ears - hopefully any forthcoming votes on women's rights to choose will meet the same fate
One religion schools and demands for baptismal certificates in order to be educated is the next in line
The grip is well and truly broken
This is an ecclesiastic earthquake - not before time
Jim Carroll