Conference of Religious of Ireland
Encyclopedia
The Conference of Religious of Ireland (CORI), is an umbrella organisation for Catholic religious orders active in the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland. It has 138 member congregations, with a combined membership of over 9,000. It is organised in both Republic of Ireland
and Northern Ireland
. It was formed in 1983 as the Conference of Major Religious Superiors (CMRS) by the merger of previously separate organisations of male and female orders.
CORI's Justice commission campaigns for social justice
and poverty reduction
measures and produces an annual response to the Irish Government's budget. CORI has participated in the "Community Pillar" of Social Partnership negotiations in the Republic
since 1996. In 1990, before the current name was adopted, Charles Haughey
famously dismissed a CMRS report Must the Poor always Wait? with the quip "I am always a bit doubtful about any organisation that has 'major' and 'superior' in its title."
In 2002 CORI negotiated a secret settlement with the state on behalf of 18 member congregations implicated in institutional sexual abuse
, which paid €128m raised from sale of property to fund compensation claims from abuse victims. After the media revealed the terms, this settlement was criticised as too small a fraction of the total compensation required, estimated at €1.3b, and because the scheme gave anonymity to abusers. The news rather dented the group's pure and self-righteous
image. After the 2009 publication of the report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
, CORI director Seán Healy suggested the orders should increase their payment to 50% of the total compensation. A further €348m was offered by 18 Orders in late 2009.
President Mary McAleese
addressed delegates at a CORI conference in Malahide
on April 17th 2010.
In March 2011 the CORI-sponsored National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSC) complained in its annual report that it could not perform a child safety audit on the Church, as the Church was denying it information, citing legal advice. Funding for its training programmes in child protection had unexpectedly ended in 2009. The NBSC is also jointly sponsored by the Irish hierarchy and the Irish Missionary Union.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It was formed in 1983 as the Conference of Major Religious Superiors (CMRS) by the merger of previously separate organisations of male and female orders.
CORI's Justice commission campaigns for social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
and poverty reduction
Poverty reduction
Poverty is the state of human beings who are poor. That is, they have little or no material means of surviving—little or no food, shelter, clothes, healthcare, education, and other physical means of living and improving one's life....
measures and produces an annual response to the Irish Government's budget. CORI has participated in the "Community Pillar" of Social Partnership negotiations in the Republic
Social Partnership
Social partnership is the term used for the tripartite, triennial national pay agreements reached in Ireland.The process was initiated in 1987, following a period of high inflation and weak economic growth which led to increased emigration and unsustainable government borrowing and national debt...
since 1996. In 1990, before the current name was adopted, Charles Haughey
Charles Haughey
Charles James "Charlie" Haughey was Taoiseach of Ireland, serving three terms in office . He was also the fourth leader of Fianna Fáil...
famously dismissed a CMRS report Must the Poor always Wait? with the quip "I am always a bit doubtful about any organisation that has 'major' and 'superior' in its title."
In 2002 CORI negotiated a secret settlement with the state on behalf of 18 member congregations implicated in institutional sexual abuse
Catholic sexual abuse scandal in Ireland
The Catholic sexual abuse scandal in Ireland is a major chapter in the worldwide Catholic sexual abuse scandal. Unlike the Catholic sexual abuse scandal in the United States, the scandal in Ireland included cases of high-profile Catholic clerics involved in illicit heterosexual relations as well as...
, which paid €128m raised from sale of property to fund compensation claims from abuse victims. After the media revealed the terms, this settlement was criticised as too small a fraction of the total compensation required, estimated at €1.3b, and because the scheme gave anonymity to abusers. The news rather dented the group's pure and self-righteous
Self-righteousness
Self-righteousness is a feeling of smug moral superiority derived from a sense that one's beliefs, actions, or affiliations are of greater virtue than those of the average person.The term "self-righteous" is often considered derogatory Self-righteousness (also called sanctimoniousness,...
image. After the 2009 publication of the report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse is one of a range of measures introduced by the Irish Government to investigate the extent and effects of abuse on children from 1936 onwards. It is commonly known in Ireland as the Ryan Commission , after its chair, Justice Seán Ryan...
, CORI director Seán Healy suggested the orders should increase their payment to 50% of the total compensation. A further €348m was offered by 18 Orders in late 2009.
President Mary McAleese
Mary McAleese
Mary Patricia McAleese served as the eighth President of Ireland from 1997 to 2011. She was the second female president and was first elected in 1997 succeeding Mary Robinson, making McAleese the world's first woman to succeed another as president. She was re-elected unopposed for a second term in...
addressed delegates at a CORI conference in Malahide
Malahide
Malahide is a coastal suburban town, near Dublin city, located in the administrative county of Fingal, within the traditional County Dublin, Ireland. It has a village-like centre and extensive residential areas to the south, west and northwest.-Name:...
on April 17th 2010.
In March 2011 the CORI-sponsored National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSC) complained in its annual report that it could not perform a child safety audit on the Church, as the Church was denying it information, citing legal advice. Funding for its training programmes in child protection had unexpectedly ended in 2009. The NBSC is also jointly sponsored by the Irish hierarchy and the Irish Missionary Union.