Sinead O'Connor Calls On The Pope To Stand Down

In a powerfully written letter, sent to Hot Press, the hugely respected singer and songwriter has also demanded that the Irish ambassador to the Vatican should be recalled “in order to respect the people of Ireland, who are outraged by the contempt displayed by the Vatican for the suffering endured by survivors of clerical abuse and for the people of Ireland in general.”

Sinead also demands that the Pope should stand down for what she describes as his “contemptible silence on the matter.” In an emotionally charged dismantling of the hypocrisy of the Vatican’s position on the issue of child sex abuse, she accuses the Hierarchy of bringing the idea of God into disrepute.

“Popes have had no problem voicing their opinions when we wanted contraception or divorce,” she says. “No problem criticising the Da Vinci code. No problem declaring Harry Potter books as evil. No problem criticising Naomi Campbell for wearing a bejewelled cross. Yet when it comes to the evils done by paedophiles dressed as priests they are silent.

“They are not fit to call themselves representatives of Christ,” she adds. “They represent nothing but evil anymore.”

Sinead also calls for the resignation of Brian Cowen. “He should stand down and admit that he has behaved in this matter as a coward,” her letter concludes.

For the full text of Sinead O’Connor’s letter, click here