A leader in the Catholic Church that admitted he helped cover-up the rapes of two young boys at the hands of another priest is ignoring calls for his resignation.
Ireland’s Senior Roman Catholic, Cardinal Sean Brady says he will not resign despite admitting to knowing about the crimes.
Brady admitted to interviewing two boys in 1975, collecting evidence on Rev. Brendan Smyth who they say raped them both. Despite his investigation into the crime however, Brady never reported to police and both children were required to sign oaths promising not to tell their parents about the abuse they suffered.
Reverend Brendan Smyth was left free to abuse other children and went on to molest and rape an estimated 90 children in Ireland, Britain and the U.S.
According to Cardinal Brady he didn’t tell police because the church practiced a “culture of silence about this, a culture of secrecy.”
He explained himself further to police saying,
“Yes, I knew that these were crimes,” Brady said. “But I did not feel that it was my responsibility to denounce the actions of Brendan Smyth to the police. Now I know with hindsight that I should have done more, but I thought at the time I was doing what I was required to do.”
Brady says the only way he will resign is if Pope Benedict XVI asks him personally to leave.
So 90 other children had to suffer because of a “culture of secrecy?”
SMH…Sad.
