Most Rev Leo O'Reilly
Bishop of Kilmore

We are coming to the end of what has been a difficult year for the Church in Ireland. It 
has been a difficult time for you, the people of Kilmore, because what happens in any part 
of the country affects us all. The programme Suing the Pope, about the abuse of children 
by priests in Ferns diocese, and the Prime Time programme about similar abuse in Dublin 
caused a wave of anger and dismay among Catholic people the length and breadth of the 
country. In addition to revulsion at the abuse itself there was anger and bewilderment at 
how church authorities dealt with the priests who were responsible. I know that it has 
caused much pain and anger to the people of this diocese, to parents of young children, 
and to everyone who cares about children and about the Church.

It has been a very difficult time for priests too. We share your shock and anger whenever 
incidents of abuse come to light. We are dismayed that children who were entitled to be 
protected by clergy were in some cases brutally exploited and betrayed. We grieve for the 
children and their families whose lives have been blighted by abuse and for the loss of 
trust that all priests have suffered at a result. However, the actions of a minority of 
clergy should not blind us to the fact that the vast majority of priests are doing a great 
job in very difficult times. I ask you to continue to support them with your help and your 
prayers.

Help Available
Most of all this has been a difficult year for those who have been abused and their families. 
Every new revelation of abuse must bring back painful memories and re-open old wounds for 
them. I would like to take this opportunity to repeat my invitation to anyone who has been 
abused and who has not come forward to do so now. They may contact one of the Diocesan 
Delegates if they wish to make a complaint. These are:

Fr. Anthony Fagan, The Presbytery, Cavan. Tel: 049 4331404
Fr. Sean Mawn, Fairgreen, Belturbet, Co. Cavan. Tel: 049 9522109
These numbers are published on all Church notice boards and regularly in parish newsletters. 
If there is anyone who has suffered abuse who would like to meet me personally I am more than 
willing to meet them. 

For those who need help, but who would prefer to remain anonymous there is also help available. 
The diocese is a subscriber to FAOISEAMH, an independent help-line for those who have suffered 
abuse by priests or religious. Professional counselling is available through this help-line 
and will be paid for by the diocese. The Faoiseamh numbers are: 

From the Republic of Ireland: Freephone	1 800 33 123 4
Northern Ireland: Freephone 0 800 973 272

The Health Boards also have help-lines for those who have suffered abuse. The numbers:
North Eastern Health Board:		Freephone	1 800 234 117
North Western Health Board:		Freephone	1 800 234 119
All these numbers are also to be found on your church notice board and appear regularly in 
parish newsletters. 

Strict Guidelines
I am glad of this opportunity to assure you again, as I did in my pastoral letter last year, 
that we have very strict procedures for dealing with complaints against clergy or religious. 
Our diocesan Protocol on Child Sexual Abuse commits us to mandatory reporting of complaints 
as follows: “Where it is known or suspected that a priest or religious has sexually abused 
a child, the matter should be reported to the civil authorities”(Child Sexual Abuse, Protocol 
for the Diocese of Kilmore). The Protocol also provides that the Bishop consult an Advisory 
Panel on decisions in relation to complaints against priests or religious. We have such a 
panel in place the majority of whom are lay people, and I am guided by their advice in all 
matters relating to complaints of child abuse. 

The Truth will Make us Free
The Bishops have set up an independent enquiry, chaired by Justice Gillian Hussey, to establish 
the truth about child sexual abuse by clergy and religious. We will co-operate fully with this 
enquiry. We want the truth to come out. This process we are going through is a painful one but 
a necessary one. It is a purification. We will be the better for it. Despite the pain, or even 
because of it, there is hope. The truth will make us free. I pray that it will free those who 
have suffered abuse to find peace in their lives and to move on. I pray that it will free the 
Church to be what it should be, a sign of God’s love to all. I pray that it will prevent the 
exploitation of children by priests or religious ever happening again. We are painfully aware 
that abuse by priests represents only a tiny percentage of all the abuse that takes place in 
society – around three percent in fact. Our hope is that one result of the highlighting of 
abuse by clergy will be that the government and society generally will find effective ways of 
protecting all children who suffer in this way.

Good News
As I said at the beginning, this has been a painful year, but it is important to realise that 
some good things have happened too. Just before Easter we launched the Diocesan Pastoral Plan 
and the Diocesan Website (www.kilmorediocese.ie). The Pastoral Plan was the culmination of more 
than a year’s hard work by the Diocesan Pastoral Council, working on the report of the Diocesan 
Congress. All the Parish Pastoral Councils in the diocese were present to see the launch and 
to get their copies of the Plan, which should form an important part of the agenda for the 
parish councils over the next few years.

Alcohol Conference
Another initiative of the Diocesan Pastoral Council and the Diocesan Committee on Social Issues 
was the very successful conference on 28 September on “Changing the Culture: Alcohol Abuse and 
Young People”. This was organised in conjunction with our colleagues in the Church of Ireland 
and attracted a capacity attendance. A report of its proceeding is to be found elsewhere in 
this newspaper.

Ordinations
We had three ordinations during the year, one to the diaconate and two to the priesthood. Ultan 
McGoohan, Carrigallen was ordained deacon on Easter Monday, while Loughlain Carolan, Konckbride,
and Darragh Connolly, Killeshandra were ordained to the priesthood in June. This is certainly 
a cause for celebration in these times of few vocations to the priesthood. We congratulate them 
again and wish them every blessing in their ministries.

Lay Participation
The involvement of lay people in the work of the church continues to grow. A recent review of 
the work of the different diocesan committees brought home to me the great number of people 
who are giving their time generously to church activities. And the number continues to grow
as we now try to establish liturgy groups in each church area.  The liturgy groups have the 
potential to make a huge change to the Sunday Mass and other parish liturgies. As groups learn 
more through training and begin to own their parish liturgies, I look forward to a renewal of 
the Sunday Mass and a new enthusiasm among our people for the celebration of the Eucharist. It 
is only by working together that we can hope to attract many people who no longer go to Mass 
regularly to return. This is a big challenge but I believe that we can meet it. These committees 
really can make a difference!

The season of Advent is upon us once again and Christmas approaches. May I take this opportunity
to wish you all a happy and peaceful Christmas and every blessing of God in the New Year.

Ends
December 2002