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	Faith Shaken - Faith By Kate Heaney The Donegal News March 22, 2010 http://www.nwipp-newspapers.com/dn/free/296864727390737.php PARISHIONERS across Donegal listened attentively yesterday morning as Pope Benedict XVI's long-awaited Pastoral letter was read out at Masses. Priests across the county abbreviated the 20 page document. Some read the two page summary of the letter while others read what they saw as the relevant sections of the full document. The Pastoral letter which began "Dear brothers and sisters of the Church in Ireland," did apologise to the victims of clerical sexual abuse - "to the victims of abuse and their families you have suffered grievously and I am truly sorry". The pontiff's letter referred to "grave errors" committed by Irish church authorities and announced a formal Vatican investigation of dioceses, seminaries and religious orders affected by the scandals. Bishop of Raphoe, Dr Philip Boyce was in Gortahork Confirming young people yesterday. However in advance of the arrival of the Pope's letter he spoke to the Donegal News on Friday as further revelations about the secretive handling of clerical sex abuse emerged last week. Bishop Boyce reminded Catholics that the church is bigger than any bishop or priest. He admitted he loses sleep because of what has happened in the church and the way in which people's faith and attachment to the institution has been shaken. "I am aware of the suffering and the bewilderment of so many people and the pain of so many victims - I have a great empathy with it. But I would ask people to remember that the church is so much bigger than a bishop or priest. It is there for everyone who wants to come. It is there for Christians coming to Christ. I would not like to see people confusing the church with a bishop or a priest," Bishop Boyce said. When questioned about the church's handling of the continuing emergence of scandals Bishop Boyce went back to the roots of the church and St Peter. He pointed out that Christ chose Peter to be the foundation of the church even though Peter had denied even knowing him after Christ's arrest. "We are all human and we acknowledge there is room for repentance and confession and we all have to go to confession. I can understand people's reticence to go to confession in light of all that has happened but I would ask that they realise it is the Lord they are confessing to, they are not just going to the priest. "What has happened in the church has made life more difficult for bishops - it is a time of trial - a time of carrying a heavy cross but that is part of following the Lord. A time to do our duty, express repentance and do as much as we can to help the faithful," he added. Close to the people On the issue of whether or not the church hierarchy fully understood the anger of the laity following all that has happened in the church in the last number of years, Bishop Boyce said he believed the awareness had improved. "When I was a young boy when you were preparing to make your Confirmation, you would never have dreamt of going near the bishop. Bishops are not as remote from the people today as they were. After Confirmations now I would make myself available to talk to families and the young people." Bishop Boyce called on the laity to become more active in the church. "The church is not the bishops, each person has his or her place in the church. We are ministers working there, performing a service for everyone." The bishop expressed his views on whether or not allowing priests and bishops to marry would bring them a better understanding of everyday life. "You might say at times it would make life easier but on the other hand I don't think that is the problem. Celibate clergy have shown to do so much for people - the fact that they are celibate means they can give themselves completely to the Lord's service. It is not that the church decided to impose celibacy, it goes back to the go
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