There has been some confusion as to whither or not all sanctions were lifted from Sean Fagan before he died. The Irish Times has twice reported that they have, and the Tablet has now published the same ‘fact’.
But unfortunately it is not true. All that was lifted was one part of the sanctions; the others remained in place. So, to say that his good name was fully restored by Pope Francis is, I’m afraid, not correct.
Those who know me won’t be surprised when I say that I have been following with interest the case that Angela Kerins is taking against the Public Accounts Committee. I don’t know Angela; may have met her at some event or other in the past, but I have no recollection that I did.
She is taking a case against the PAC for the way she alleges she was treated when she appeared before the committee in 2014, saying that the abuse she suffered at their hands effectively destroyed her life.
Father Sean Fagan
I had mixed feelings today, when I heard of the death of Sean Fagan, sadness at his death, but relief that his sufferings were over. Not being part of the theological community, I had never met Sean until a couple of years ago, when I was editing a book on responding to the Ryan report, and I asked him would he write an article for it. It was then that I discovered that he was forbidden to write or speak publicly, and even worse, that if he disobeyed this order he would be dismissed from the priesthood.
