‘I Hope This Arrangement Will Be Satisfactory’

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Fr Brendan Smyth (left) in 1997

Who knew?

Everyone.

At the Historic Institutional Abuse Inquiry…

In a letter to an officer at Finglas Garda station dated November 1, 1973, Smyth’s psychiatrist said he was recommending the cleric be admitted for treatment.

The doctor said: “I have been asked to write to you by Fr Brendan Smyth of Holy Trinity Abbey, Kilnacrott. He has been a patient under my care for some months and I am familiar with the nature of his problems. I am writing to his superior suggesting that he should have a period of inpatient care in St Patrick’s Hospital or in St Edmonds Bury….I hope this arrangement will be satisfactory to you and your superiors.”

…According to a case summary dated February 1974, a doctor at St Patrick’s confirmed a diagnosis of paedophilia.

Fr Smyth would go on to abuse children until his eventual arrest in 1994.

Gardaí knew about Fr Brendan Smyth in 1973, inquiry told (Irish Examiner)

Yesterday: Before he Was Ordained

(Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland)

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47 thoughts on “‘I Hope This Arrangement Will Be Satisfactory’

      1. gallantman

        That if the Gardaí had acted on a tip off and investigated a known paedophile they may have prevented him abusing children with impunity for another 20 years. I’m not sure if there is anything theoretical about it.

        1. Ted

          The Department of Foreign Affairs also issued passports to mother and baby home babies. But you won’t hear about that in the Irish Times. They mightn’t get invited to the summer garden party anymore.

          1. Ted

            Must be true. Irish Times says so. Any award-winning journos with tales of people living in their cars knocking around these days? Or some “septic tank” hoaxes?

            And just what is an “international adoption ring”? (a phrase the Irish Times are fond of) A bit like the ones we have nowadays only on a much bigger scale and for-profit?

            Regarding the babies travelling abroad for adoption – they must have been travelling on Vatican passports. That’s the only explanation I can think of.

    1. manolo

      I think this story is not about the doctor informing the police about a threat to children, but the doctor trying to keep Smyth out of jail. I deduct that from this closing line “I hope this arrangement will be satisfactory to you and your superiors”

  1. Atticus

    This whole sorry mess beggars belief. It’s not as if it was well hidden or even known to just one person. There are so many cases of someone being aware of it and having the opportunity to stop him from going on to abuse many others.

    How can you live with your conscience knowing that you did nothing?

    1. Bob

      I’d guess that most of them will be of the opinion that saying nothing was the right thing to do. The organisation was more important to them than the people involved in it or even what the organisation was meant to represent.

      1. ahyeah

        In a nutshell ^^^

        The Organisation mattered more than anything else, and nothing could be permitted to damage the Organisation. High time we destroyed the Organisation.

        1. Ted

          You’re very quick to rip down. Not so quick to build anything yourself, are you? All it takes is a sledgehammer and a bad day to smash a statue; it takes decades of training, practice and institutional support to create a masterpiece.

          While you’re reflecting on that, perhaps you might come up with some examples of organisations that operate on the scale of the Catholic church (now or in history) where abuses haven’t taken place?

          1. Bob

            And you’re quick to defend the indefensible. People were committing crimes that are against the Bible’s teachings and the RCC protected the criminals so as not to damage the Churches reputation. Are you honestly saying this was fine because of the bigger picture?

          2. Clampers Outside!

            May I have a look in…

            “You’re very quick to rip down.” – been coming for years, in this example, coming since 1973 at least.

            “Not so quick to build anything yourself, are you?” – Everyone takes a dump daily.

            “All it takes is a sledgehammer and a bad day to smash a statue” – what has that to do with ANYTHING !

            “it takes decades of training, practice and institutional support to create a masterpiece.” – Where is this thing or what the fupp are you on about?

            “While you’re reflecting on that….” – Done, next?

            “perhaps you might come up with some examples of organisations that operate on the scale of the Catholic church (now or in history) where abuses haven’t taken place?” – are you for fupping real, are you really going to use that as a line of defence for the failures of the institutions of the RCC?

            “(all institutions are run by humans and therefore subject to human failings)” – But it was not a FAILURE, a mistake, an over sight, a misappropriated move or any such bullcrap excuse.
            It was cognizant, actionable and wholly aware behaviour by the RCC that kept this man out in public and destroying lives.

            Put a sock in it you deluded RCC paedophile rapist muppet excuser!

          3. Ted

            The moral high ground is all yours. 99.9% of piests and bishops gone by did the best they could, died in peace and have already been before their Maker. Some are probably burning in hell, but who am I to judge? I am focussed on how I can live life in a Christian way. Sure, I’ve goaded homosexuals on here (I hope I haven’t entrenched anyone in his ways), but I was motivated to do it out of love for all men and wanting to see them realise their full potential that is in tune with the gifts bestowed on them by God. Homosexuality is a distortion of Platonic love, homosexualist culture is a lie and both phenomenon ruin people.

          4. PaddyIrishMan

            Ah, I think I see the problem here. It seems you actually believe that there is an invisible, omnipresent sky fairy that is the creator of, er, everything. This isn’t actually the case. Sorry to break it to you but the sooner you know the better.

            You can give up all that hatred that is festering inside you and get out there and do something good for the world.

          5. Joe the Lion

            What has homosexuality got to do with clerical pederasty? I hope you rot in hell and on earth

          6. Bacchus

            The moral high ground is all yours. 99.9% of piests and bishops gone by did the best they could Poor Ted.

            i’d say closer to .9% A good priest is a very rare thing.

          7. Ted

            Reminds me of three men sentenced to death by guillotine:

            Paddy Englishman: “Dear God, I have been a good Anglican all my life! Please spare me!”. Executioner pulls the lever but the blade does not fall. Tries again and fails. Must have been the will of God so they let him go.

            Paddy Scotsman: “I have been a God fearing Presbyterian all my life! Heavenly father save me!”. Executioner tries the lever again and fails. The forces of God acting again and he is freed.

            Paddy Irishman puts his head in the block: “Wait one second. I think I see why the blade isn’t falling”.

            I think you, PaddyIrishMan can learn a lesson from this. I fear you too will go on to become a useless idiot even though all the signs are everywhere around you. I suppose you could plead ignorance at the Pearly Gates, but don’t count on it is all I can say.

          8. martco

            Ted

            ta all the same but why on earth would I want to build something to replace any existing religious construct??

            I guess that’s just your view and you’re entitled to it

            seems to me I get on just fine in my life without recourse to some brand of wizardry or dogma

      2. ahjayzis

        Were kids even seen as people back then?
        A lot of the time it’s like they were seen as livestock.

        1. Ted

          I think they ate them as a delicacy for starters at the bishops’ feasts. And they put the bones into septic tanks. The tiniest ones, they ground up and made candle wax out of. I think I read it in the Irish Times a few years back.

          1. Ted

            He looks like a Vatican ambassador on official duty. It doesn’t look like a heil Hitler salute to me. The Vatican’s actions (and inactions) during WW1 and WW2 are the subject of a lot of study (contemporary liberal arts universities have a particular fascination for all things Vatican. They’re also fond of plenty of ethnomasochism, race/gay/gender rabble-rousing and using their favourite word – *should*.

            Anyway, I’ll see your alleged Nazi salute and raise you a real English football salute (though I’m reasonable and mature enough to not take everything at face value):

            http://www.uni.edu/fabos/0clip_image002.jpg

            And a contemporary one from an ampitheatre of contemporary Western culture:

            http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnnnext/dam/assets/130318160541-football-giorgos-katidis-nazi-salute-story-top.jpg

  2. Mr. T.

    The elders of the state always knew and they did nothing. Most of the abused were orphans, children of single parents or children from broken homes and disadvantaged homes. They were the ones who had no connections to the right people and no way to defend themselves. They were fair game so to speak.

    Nobody would believe them or at least nobody would acknowledge their abuse.

    Ireland has a dark heart.

    1. Ted

      Nowadays we just abort them or stuff them into Direct Provision centres where they can work as prostitutes for all the State cares.

    2. Zarathustra

      ‘Ireland has a dark heart’ Mr T, indeed it does; in fact Áine Adams, Mairia Cahill and Paudie McGahon – to name a few – are living with the legacy of Ireland’s dark republican heart, regarding paedophiles and their protectors; you are very selective in your judgement when it suits you, it seems.

  3. CousinJack

    He was a priest, and therefore above the law. Much like the bankers and financiers are today. The Guards protect the powerful of the time and continue to persecute the vulnerable. Nothing really changes in Ireland (this is pretty much how Brehon law worked)

    1. Jackdaw

      Did I imagine the case involving the three senior bankers that is currently before the Courts and lots more awaiting trial having been charged? Was it the Ku Klux Klan that gathered the evidence arrested the bankers and brought prosecutions? There were terrible instances of neglect of duty in the past due to deference to the Church but don’t talk utter shite now because it suits whatever bullshit agenda you want to follow.

  4. Truth in the News

    Remember all the exhortations made by the Catholic Church about the
    “Men of Voilence” even the Pope went on his knees in Drogheda in 1979
    how come the they were so silent on the “Men of Sex” within their own ranks
    especially the now deceased Cathal Daly, he really sat on ecclesiastical dung hill.

  5. arianna

    Disgusting nappy lickers that the church protected and sometimes exalted. T’would make any decent person puke! Always surprised at the core of pedophile supporters that always supported the completely twisted irish catholic church!

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