FORMER president Mary McAleese has written to Pope Francis saying she will leave the Catholic Church if it emerges the Holy See did not protect the members of an organisation for people with disabilities.
Mrs McAleese has written to the pontiff for answers about abuse carried out by L’Arche Community founder Jean Vanier and his spiritual mentor Fr Thomas Philippe.
L'Arche, a worldwide organisation for people with intellectual disabilities, was founded by Vanier, a Catholic theologian, in 1964.
The charity has centres in Belfast, Dublin, Cork and Kilkenny.
Last month, a report found Vanier had sexually abused six women in Trosly-Breuil in France between 1970 and 2005.
The independent investigation found that in the 1950s he was a member of a small group which "participated in some of Father Thomas Philippe’s deviant sexual practices, which were founded on so-called 'mystical' or 'spiritual' beliefs that had been condemned by the Catholic Church".
In 1956, the Vatican removed Fr Philippe from ministry because of his abuse of women. He died in 1993.
In 2014, L’Arche learned of allegations that he had sexually abused more than a dozen women.
It is understood that neither Vanier nor Fr Philippe abused anyone with disabilities.
The charity said last year it condemned the abuse and stood alongside the victims.
"We are truly and deeply sorry for how these women have suffered," it said.
Mrs McAleese said people should have been told about Vanier and Fr Philippe's activities.
"If however it transpires that the Holy See failed to act to protect members of the L’Arche community by alerting them to the known predatory activities of Vanier and Philippe I have to say that this will be my final line of least resistance," she said.
"I could not in conscience continue to support an institution capable of such gross negligence."
Mrs McAleese took part in a celebration of Vanier in Swords, Co Dublin, in June last year - a month after he died.
In her letter, she said it was "devastating" to learn last month of "the awful story of his sexually and spiritually abusive conduct".
"Even worse was learning the Holy See had been aware since the 1950s of his malevolent proclivities and those of his colleague Pere Thomas Philippe."
