BishopAccountability.org
	O'Gorman 'Surprised' As Mass Invitation Withdrawn Irish Times September 26, 2009 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0926/1224255283848.html ONE IN FOUR founder Colm O'Gorman has spoken of his surprise at "the unique experience of being 'uninvited' from taking part" in a Mass of healing and reconciliation planned by Fr Iggy O'Donovan at the Augustinian Church in Drogheda for tomorrow. He said: "It appears that the Archdiocese of Armagh, led by Cardinal Seán Brady, believes there was something inappropriate about the invitation and instructed Fr O'Donovan to withdraw it." This, Mr O'Gorman felt, was "a real shame". It was "a shame that senior church leaders have chosen to close their hearts, their minds and their ears to words offered in a true spirit of hope. Hope informed by an absolute belief in the endless possibilities to be found in our human capacity to transcend terrible trauma and find a way forward together." Instead they had "used their power to prevent such a process from finding even more powerful expression by locating it in church". In his planned address he had "no intention of raking over old, now established hurts". Instead, he had hoped "to speak about my sense of an immense opportunity for us all, having named and to a large part owned the truth of the terrible crimes inflicted upon children within church, to find a way forward together in a new spirit of truth, compassion, understanding and love". He believed "in the power of truth. Naming the truth in difficult circumstances is always the right thing to do." So often "we run from things we have done that we feel mark us as bad. I know that feeling; for so many years I ran from my own feelings of shame and self-blame." He had planned to end his address by quoting from the Gospel of John: "Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action."
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.