The Church let us down, say sisters abused by priest
‘They’re protecting the institution all the time... they weren’t interested in the people who had been hurt’
THE Catholic Church is still protecting itself at the expense of abuse victims, two women who were abused by a former priest have claimed.
Sisters Paula and Margaret Martin, from Co. Donegal, who were sexually abused by former priest Con Cunningham, said they felt they had been let down by the Church.
Cunningham was sentenced to 15 months at Letterkenny Circuit Court at the end of July for abusing Paula and Margaret, from Fán a Bhualtaigh, Fánaid, when they were just young girls, starting at the ages of nine and 11.
Cunningham, now aged 86, had pleaded guilty to eight counts of indecent assault between 1971 and 1975.
The abuse took place at a number of locations in Donegal, including at the girls’ home; at the parochial house in Fanavolty, Fánaid, and also at the Loreto College buildings in Letterkenny.
Although the women had gone to the Church three times over a 25-year period with their story, they said nothing was ever done about it until they went to the gardaí themselves in 2018.
Speaking to Barrscéalta, on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, Margaret Martin said she believed that it was clear what the Church’s
‘They weren’t thinking about us’
priority was. ‘I think they’re minding and protecting themselves and the institution all the time... They weren’t interested in or thinking of the people who had been hurt... they weren’t thinking about us,’ she said.
Paula said the Church no longer had a role to play in their lives, and that she felt the apology by the Bishop of Raphoe, Alan McGuckian, had not come from the heart – despite his statement of regret that, in the past, people who had suffered abuse had not felt supported by the diocese.
‘It was a kind of standard apology template with just the names changed, and sent out to the media and the papers,’ she explained. ‘It wasn’t heartfelt... but Father Ó Dufaigh [John Joe Duffy] spoke out on Sunday in Creeslough, and he spoke from the heart, and that was good.’
The sisters said they had felt empowered by waiving their anonymity after the verdict was handed down, explaining that secrecy had done great damage to them during their lives.
‘It was really important for us to be free of the weight of secrecy... it was a heavy burden to carry and it put a great strain on us throughout our lives. We weren’t able to speak out because we were ashamed. That shame is gone now and maybe us speaking out will help someone else,’ they said.
The sisters recounted how Cunningham used to tell the children that the parish house was always open, and that they had lots of ice cream and sweets, and all the latest records there.
‘He was clever... he was sly. He had a plan all the time, he had a way to tap into people’s vulnerabilities, and those of their families,’ they said.
They also had some advice for anyone listening who had endured abuse as they had, and was struggling – as they encouraged them to seek help.
‘It’s not your fault, you don’t need to be ashamed and you’re not crazy. That first step is really hard, but there are people there to listen to you and to help you. It takes time and work, and you need to have compassion for yourself, be gentle with yourself,’ they said.
Last week, on RTÉ Radio 1, Paula said that not being able to speak about the abuse as a child had brought her great pain.
‘All through my teenage years and my 20s I put huge energy into hiding this part of me, because I was so ashamed. So, during this process, and the legal process and going to court, I feel I left my shame with the person who needed to carry it, which was Con Cunningham,’ she said.
‘Being able to talk publicly about it now is part of owning that shame and releasing myself from it as well.’
She said the sisters had even kept the abuse hidden from each other until their 20s.
‘I was shocked and devastated’
Margaret said: ‘I was shocked and devastated that this had happened to Paula. I had left the family and gone to boarding school. I had no idea that I had left her at home, being abused.
‘So it was quite heartbreaking to discover that had happened to her.’
She said she had since found a personal relationship with God, but that she felt she would never be able to trust anyone within the Catholic Church again.