Treatment of priests accused of abuse ‘violates canon law’

Bishops must recognise their obligation to priests who stand aside from ministry when an allegation of abuse is made against them, a canon lawyer told members of the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) at their AGM in Athlone, writes Sarah Mac Donald.

Delivering the keynote address this week, Dr Helen Costigane SHCJ, vice principal at Heythrop College, London, suggested that the covenant of incardination gives bishops duties to the priests in their dioceses. The implementation of child protection norms had caused deep resentment within the clergy and an emotional break between the bishops and their priests, she said.

“At the moment, as I have seen it, people are just tossed out of their homes, removed from their ministry and they don’t actually know what is happening,” she added.

A resolution passed at the AGM called on bishops to introduce guidelines to enable clergy who are cleared of an allegation to return to ministry.

According to ACP leader Fr Brendan Hoban, there is “great unease among Irish priests that so many who have been cleared are in a ‘limbo situation’.”