Erstellt am: 24. 2. 2012 - 18:45 Uhr

Oh My God!

A Saturday Reality Check Special

By Elizabeth Alcock

Like many Irish people, whether living at home or abroad, I have been horrified as the horrific extent of physical and sexual abuse within the Irish Catholic Church, and indeed the Catholic Church around the world. I know some of the victims.

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Irish Cardinal Sean Brady, who as a priest in the 1970s was at meetings where children signed vows of silence over complaints against paedophile priest Father Brendan Smyth. Photo: EPA/PAUL MCERLANE

It’s hardly surprising that many believers have now turned their backs on the Church and are looking for an alternative. The scandals have led to deliberation and debate on whether there is even a future for the Church and whether it can survive. Yet, when the Irish Catholic Church was going through its worst crisis, one young man decided he still wanted to become a priest. In the year 2000, at the age of 26, Patrick Byrne was ordained into the priesthood.

Liz Alcock

Elizabeth Alcock and Father Paddy

He happens to be my cousin and at the time I could not understand why anyone would want to spend the rest of their life in a Church of such ill repute, not to mention the fact that he had chosen a life of celibacy – was there something wrong with him? On a recent visit to my hometown in Ireland I met up with my cousin and chatted to him about all the things I’ve ever wanted to know about why he chose the path he did and if he was happy with his life as a priest. I was very surprised with the outcome and relieved to find that, in fact, he is very “all right”.

You can hear Father Paddy's thoughts on priesthood, the church and faith in "Oh My God" a Reality Check Special starting at 12:00 on Saturday.