Fr. Brian D'Arcy has opened up to Hot Press in an astonishing new interview, published in the magazine tomorrow (Thursday, Sept 1).

In the interview, Fr. D'Arcy speaks at length about the scandals that have engulfed the Catholic Church, including discussing his own abuse at the hands of priests and brothers during his youth.

In a compassionate – and at times shocking and sad interview – he reveals that he would not have become a priest had he known the scale of the sex abuses for which Catholic priests and Brothers were responsible. And, in a powerful statement at the extent of Roman Catholic culpability, he shares his belief that the actions of paedophile priest Brendan Smyth resulted in lives being lost.

"There have been people, young women, who took their own lives because of what Brendan Smyth did to them," he tells Hot Press writer, Jason O'Toole. "I know this personally. They took their own lives because of what Brendan Smyth did to them."

He is highly critical of Cardinal Sean Brady, the man who took the confessional notes from Smyth yet chose not to go to the civil authorities.

"The one thing you will always say about Sean Brady is that he’s a decent man. But he would probably know himself now that the system had him so brainwashed that he didn’t do the right thing. He was wrapped up in this whole secrecy thing.

"But there was more than him to blame,” Fr. D’arcy adds, with the then-head of the Norbertine order also coming in for tough criticism.

Fr. D’arcy gives detailed reasons why gay sex is not a sin in a loving relationship; gives a remarkable figure for the number of homosexuals in the priesthood; and also addresses more recent controversies, including the ongoing saga regarding priests training in Maynooth.

"I have a difficulty with it, to be honest. If they’re searching on Grindr, putting themselves forward as partners or looking for partners, yes, I do have a problem with it. Because you can’t suddenly decide that after four years training everything disappears and I’m going to stop being sexually active. That doesn’t work. You’re simply codding yourself if you think that’s what’s going to happen."

In a frank, honest and extraordinary interview, he also reveals:
– How – more than once – he almost left the priesthood
– His views on whether or not using contraception is a sin
– That making love is like the closest you can get to praying to God
– Whether or not priests should be allowed to marry
– His clear-eyed views on compulsory celibacy
– And how this very interview could see him being given the red card and expelled from the priesthood.

It's another powerful, eye-opening Hot Press interview, and it’s to be found in the new issue, on the shelves in newsagents all over Ireland tomorrow.

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