POPE MEETS IRISH BISHOPS
TO DISCUSS CHILD ABUSE REPORT
Here is the communique released in English by the Vatican press Office after the meeting today:
COMMUNIQUE
Today the Holy Father held a meeting with senior Irish Bishops and high-ranking members of the Roman Curia. He listened to their concerns and discussed with them the traumatic events that were presented in the Irish Commission of Investigation’s Report into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin.
After careful study of the Report, the Holy Father was deeply disturbed and distressed by its contents. He wishes once more to express his profound regret at the actions of some members of the clergy who have betrayed their solemn promises to God, as well as the trust placed in them by the victims and their families, and by society at large.
The Holy Father shares the outrage, betrayal and shame felt by so many of the faithful in Ireland, and he is united with them in prayer at this difficult time in the life of the Church.
His Holiness asks Catholics in Ireland and throughout the world to join him in praying for the victims, their families and all those affected by these heinous crimes.
He assures all concerned that the Church will continue to follow this grave matter with the closest attention in order to understand better how these shameful events came to pass and how best to develop effective and secure strategies to prevent any recurrence.
The Holy See takes very seriously the central issues raised by the Report, including questions concerning the governance of local Church leaders with ultimate responsibility for the pastoral care of children.
The Holy Father intends to address a Pastoral Letter to the faithful of Ireland in which he will clearly indicate the initiatives that are to be taken in response to the situation.
Finally, His Holiness encourages all those who have dedicated their lives in generous service to children to persevere in their good works in imitation of Christ the Good Shepherd.
Pope 'shares outrage and shame'
at Murphy report on child abuse
by PADDY AGNEW in Rome and ELAINE EDWARDS
Dec. 11, 2009
Archbishops Brady and Martin speak to newsmen after the meeting with the Pope.
Pope Benedict shares the "outrage, betrayal and shame" felt by the Irish people over the Murphy report into the handling of allegations of child sex abuse in the Dublin archdiocese, the Vatican has said.
In a statement issued after the Pope held a meeting with Cardinal Seán Brady and Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin, the Vatican also said the Pope was "disturbed and distressed" by the contents of the report published last month.
He will write a pastoral letter to the Irish people about sexual abuse in Ireland and the Vatican's response to the crisis.
The Pope held a 90-minute meeting with the two church leaders this morning to discuss the “painful situation of the church in Ireland” in the wake of the publication of the Murphy commission report.
"The Holy Father shares the outrage, betrayal and shame felt by so many of the faithful in Ireland, and he is united with them in prayer at this difficult time in the life of the church," the statement said.
"The Holy Father was deeply disturbed and distressed by its contents. He wishes once more to express his profound regret at the actions of some members of the clergy who have betrayed their solemn promises to God, as well as the trust placed in them by the victims and their families, and by society at large."
The statement said the Pope was asking for prayers for the victims of "these heinous crimes" and promised that the Vatican would "develop effective and secure strategies to prevent any recurrence".
It said the Pope and the Vatican took the issues raised by the report "very seriously" including "questions concerning the governance of local Church leaders with ultimate responsibility for the pastoral care of children".
Pope Benedict was accompanied by a delegation of Curia heavyweights including, among others, the secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the prefect for the Congregation of Bishops, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the prefect for the Congregation For the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal William Levada, the prefect for the Congregation of the Clergy, Cardinal Claudio Hummes and the prefect of the Congregation of Consecrated Life (Religious Orders) Franc Rodé. The papal nuncio in Ireland, Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza, was also present.
When John Paul II met the US bishops in the Vatican to discuss the US clerical sex abuse crisis in April 2002, he issued a strong statement in which he said, “people need to know that there is no place in the priesthood and religious life for those who would harm the young”.
Pope 'ashamed and outraged'
at conduct of Irish priests and bishops
on child abuse and will address
pastoral letter to the Irish people
By Philip Pullella
VATICAN CITY, Dec. 11 (Reuters) – Pope Benedict shares the "outrage, betrayal and shame" felt by the Irish people over a government report that said Church leaders covered up widespread sexual abuse of children for 30 years, the Vatican said on Friday.
Archbishop Martin questioned by journalists.
In a statement issued after the Pope held a meeting with Irish Church leaders, the Vatican also said the Pope was "disturbed and distressed" by the report. He will write a pastoral letter to the Irish people about sexual abuse in Ireland and the Vatican's response to the crisis.
"The Holy Father shares the outrage, betrayal and shame felt by so many of the faithful in Ireland, and he is united with them in prayer at this difficult time in the life of the Church," the statement said.
The meeting, which lasted about 90 minutes, was held to discuss the crisis in the Irish Church following the publication last month of the Murphy Commission Report.
The November 26 report said the Church in the overwhelmingly Catholic country had obsessively hidden child abuse during the period of an inquiry, which covered the handling of abuse reports by the archdiocese of Dublin from 1975 to 2004.
"The Holy Father was deeply disturbed and distressed by its contents. He wishes once more to express his profound regret at the actions of some members of the clergy who have betrayed their solemn promises to God, as well as the trust placed in them by the victims and their families, and by society at large," the statement said.
The Murphy report said the Church was "obsessively" concerned with secrecy and operated a policy of "don't ask, don't tell" about abuse.
All Dublin archbishops in charge during the period were aware of some complaints and the archdiocese was more preoccupied with protecting the reputation of the Church than safeguarding children's welfare, the report said.
Friday's Vatican statement said the Pope was asking for prayers for the victims of "these heinous crimes" and promised that the Vatican would "develop effective and secure strategies to prevent any recurrence."
It said the Pope and the Vatican took the issues raised by the report "very seriously" including "questions concerning the governance of local Church leaders with ultimate responsibility for the pastoral care of children."
Pope will write letter
to Irish Catholics on abuse
VATICAN CITY, Dec. 11 (AP) – Pope Benedict XVI is deeply disturbed by a child sex-abuse scandal in Ireland and will write a letter to Catholics there on the Church's response, the Vatican said Friday.
Benedict met at the Vatican with senior Irish clergy to discuss a possible response to a devastating report issued last week in Dublin, which found that the Church in Ireland
[specifically the Archdiocese of Dublin] shielded more than 100 child-abusing priests from the law.
A Vatican statement released after the 90-minute talks said the Pope had studied the report carefully and expressed his "profound regret."
"He was deeply disturbed and distressed by its contents," the statement said. "The Holy Father shares the outrage, betrayal and shame felt by so many of the faithful in Ireland."
Attending the talks at the Vatican were Irish Cardinal Sean Brady, Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin and the Vatican's representative to Ireland, Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza.
The report found that Church leaders in the Dublin Archdiocese failed to inform authorities about sexual abuse by priests, while police failed to pursue allegations under the belief that church figures were above the law.
The damning revelations led to private debates among Catholic bishops over whether any of their number should resign.
The Vatican statement made no mention of any possible resignation.
It said the Church would "continue to follow this grave matter with the closest attention" and examine how to "develop effective and secure strategies to prevent any recurrence."
Benedict's letter to the faithful of Ireland "will clearly indicate the initiatives that are to be taken in response to the situation."
The 720-page report found that dozens of church leaders in Ireland's most populous diocese kept secret the record of child abuse by more than 170 clerics since 1940.
Police and social workers charged with stopping child abuse didn't start getting cooperation from the church until 1995. This opened the floodgates to thousands of abuse complaints expected to cost the Dublin Archdiocese euro20 million ($30 million).
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 11/12/2009 18:51]