Irish missionary priest says clergy must do more in tackling scourge of child sexual abuse

Fr Shay Cullen, a Columban missionary priest in the Philippines for the last 55 years, has revealed that according to Unicef reports, seven million Filipino children are abused every year and get no help

Additionally, one child in every three are victims of sexual abuse. Fr Cullen has been a longstanding advocate for children’s rights in the country and has said clergy must place themselves in the shoes of the child instead of sometimes siding with the alleged abuser.

“Many people are aware of child abuse and many suffer in silence,” he said. “They should help other victims and become advocates of child rights. That will be healing for them, too.

“The clergy is wrong for defending the abuser and silencing the victim. That abuser will abuse many more children in his lifetime for sure. They ignore the words of Jesus who said about child abusers that a large millstone should be tied around their necks and they be thrown into the deep sea. They that deny, cover up child abuse and leave abusers to continue in a diocese.”

Fr Cullen went on to say that bishops need to prioritise the alleged victims before the reputation of the Church as it’s what the gift of faith compels us to do. “Bishops have misplaced fear of the imagined shame and disgrace clerical child abuse brings on them, on the priesthood, on their dioceses and on the Church and the loss of donations,” he said.

“They ought to be ashamed that they covered up for an abuser and failed to protect the child-victims. They need to have true faith, believe that acting justly will undo evil.”