Sister Stanislaus Kennedy was again apologizing on behalf of the Sisters of Charity for the abuse of children at St. Joseph’s Institution in Kilkenny (Morning Ireland, 10th report).
But she was also denying, again, that she knew anything about what was going on despite the fact that she lived in the institution at the time.
Like most religious Kennedy has become very adept at fending off questions which by the way was easy in this particular RTE interview where the interviewer was almost apologizing for having to ask the ‘awkward’ questions.
Kennedy adopted the by now standard response of blaming the Government, Gardai, courts, government departments, society and, just in case she missed anybody, the entire population of the country.
She then quickly tried to change the subject by expressing her concern for the totally inadequate child care system of today before she was stopped with another gentle question.
Personally, I don’t believe Kennedy. I think she knew what was going on but didn’t have the courage to challenge or betray her beloved church.
Her claim that ‘she was there but didn’t have anything to do with the children’ rings hollow especially when we witness priests, nuns and Catholic apologists in general constantly telling us that everybody knew what was going on and therefore all are to blame.
RTEs Joe Duffy, however, would not agree with my views. Writing in the Mail on Sunday Joe tells us that when he was down on his luck in 1980 (when the abuse was going on) Sr. Stanislaus ‘saved his bacon’ by giving him a job.
He infers from this act of kindness that Kennedy must be innocent of all allegations.
Whom did she thinks cleaned the convent and washed her habits?