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FREE
CARDIFF'S STUDENT WEEKLY
freeword - EST. 1972
ISSUE 899 JUNE 01 2009
WHY EUROPE CANCELLED? MATTERS Elections Special,
FESTIVAL IN STRUGGLE TO SECURE PLANNING PERMISSION - News, Page 3 Pages 14-16
OMFG! Emma Barlow News Editor The University’s Catholic chaplain has sparked controversy after claiming that homosexuals are the main perpetrators of child abuse within the Catholic Church. Father John Owen made the comments live on BBC One’s The Big Questions on Sunday May 24, while reviewing the recent Ryan report. The 2,565 page report revealed that sexual abuse was widespread in Irish Catholic industrial schools and orphanages run by the Church, and was compiled using testimony from former pupils, inmates and officials. Father John, who as well as working at the University chaplaincy is also the communications officer for the archdiocese of Cardiff, was asked by the show’s presenter, Nicky Campbell, whether the church cared more about its own reputation than the welfare of children. Father Owen replied: “These matters are so ghastly that people don’t want to look at them, and they can’t believe these things are taking place within the orbit of a Christian church - a perversion of Christianity. “Let me tell you of course before you go too far, most of the offences are being
committed by homosexuals.” The Students’ Union’s Education and Welfare Officer Nick Yates said: “The Students’ Union is utterly appalled at the comments of Father John Owen. He appears to be of the opinion that what the priests did is either somehow excused or explained by the sexuality that he prescribes to them.” One panellist on the show, the writer and executive director of Amnesty International Ireland Colm O’Gorman, who has recently published a book about his abuse at the hands of a Catholic priest, was especially offended by the comments. He said: “As a gay man I am not going to allow you to perpetrate that kind of lie.” In response Father John asked O’Gorman to “be silent.” Father John continued: “Stick to the facts: the vast majority of the abuse cases in the country – certainly in America - were not taken against what I would call children but 95% of the time taken against teenage boys, now what does that tell you?” Radio talk-show presenter James O’Brian, who himself had been taught by monks in a Catholic school as a teenager, replied: “The monks who ended up facing criminal charges for abuse were paedophiles, not homosexuals and I find your attempted defence of these crimes repellent.” continued on page 5
IMAGE: BBC
University Chaplain argues on television broadcast that most paedophilia in the Church is ‘committed by homosexuals’