Friar's work shows shock at Church sex scandals

A priest in Multyfarnham has unveiled an art work which he is describing as his "visual response" to the Ryan Report into child sex abuse.Fr. Joe Walsh, of the Friary in Multyfarnham, unveiled the piece on Friday at the Friary, where it is a central part of an exhibition running all week, featuring art created at Multyfarnham by 23 artists who paricipated in a residency programme with the Friars.Fr. Walsh, who is Guardian of the Friary, admitted that his work was controversial - and asked that young people aged under 16 not view the piece.The installation features teddy bears nailed to crosses and the music to Teddy Bears' Picnic eerily playing in the background with only candles to light the way.At the back of the work, there is what at first appears to be a stained glass window - but which is in fact, pages from the Ryan Report, coloured and put together to look like a stained glass window, emphasising that sometimes, all is not what it appears to be.Father Joe explained why he had decided to produce such a controversial piece of art: "In the case of sexual abuse, language often degenerates into a debate which, while necessary, can prevent us from feeling the horror of what has happened."By depending on images instead of words, I hope to draw our attention back to the horror inflicted on the victims. My work is anunashamed attempt to get at the heart - to evoke compassion and a desire for the kind of legislation and justice which will give all our children the protection and care to which they have a right."