By Anita Guidera
Thursday January 17 2008
A priest who suffered sexual abuse has branded bishops and priests who fail to reach out to abuse victims as "narcissistic sociopaths".Father Patrick McCafferty has launched a blistering attack on the institutional church, claiming it was inflicted with a deep sickness "from the top down".
The outspoken priest, who is currently a doctoral student at Dublin's Milltown Institute, has also called on the Church to repent and make reparation for the sins of its members.
Speaking yesterday, he revealed he had been sexually abused as a child between the ages of four and seven. He also claimed he was assaulted by a priest when he was a young seminarian.
"I know the particular devastation clerical sexual abuse has on victims," he said.
He was speaking on Donegal's Highland Radio in response to claims that jailed paedophile priest Eugene Greene had been sent financial gifts from parishioners.
Former parishioners in west Donegal have expressed outrage at the claims
Lisburn-born Fr McCafferty added: "This man has done a great evil. This man has brought horrendous shame on the church."
Greene (80) was jailed for 12 years after pleading guilty to 41 sample charges of buggery, gross indecency and indecent assault on young boys.
He is due for release later this year, four years early.
Fr McCafferty has expressed anger at the lack of empathy from many bishops and priests and their failure to reach out to victims of clerical sexual abuse.
"With some notable exceptions, they have just walled these victims out of their hearts.
"The institutional church is very sick. Bishops are very sick. Priests are very sick. Not all of them, by any means, but many of them are narcissistic sociopaths.
Continued. . .
