The Bishop of Clonfert John Kirby has apologised for describing instances of paedophila as “friendship that crossed a boundary line”.
In a “special message” read at Masses in the diocese over the weekend, he said: “I may have given the general impression that I was somehow minimising the gravity of the criminal activity which we know to be child sexual abuse. This was never my intention and I wish to apologise, especially to all survivors, on this point.”
He continued: “The fact is that I reported the allegations to the civil authorities in the 1990s within days of becoming aware of the issue because I knew that crimes may have been committed.
“What I failed to appreciate sufficiently at that time was the addictive and repetitive compulsion of sexual abuse. Unfortunately, my words last week, separated from their context, came across negatively. I am very sorry for any anxiety or embarrassment that I may have caused to people in Clonfert or throughout the country.”
A review of child safeguaring practices in Clonfert by the church’s National Board for Safeguarding Children (NBSC) found that Bishop John Kirby dealt “inappropriately” with abuse allegations there nor had he “a full written policy and procedures document in place at the time of the review – a significant shortcoming” which “had a knock-on effect on safeguarding structures and practices in the diocese”.
Nine allegations were made against three priests in Clonfert and one other who provided holiday cover there. One was convicted in the courts.
