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	Pope Says Sorry By Conor Sharkey The Ulster Herald March 22, 2010 http://www.nwipp-newspapers.com/UH/free/296864724911029.php Mass-goers across Tyrone told of betrayal and damage caused to the Church by some clergy SATURDAY'S papal apology to victims of clerical abuse marked a major watershed for the Catholic Church, a Strabane Parish Priest has said. Fr Declan Boland was one of thousands of priests across Ireland to take to the pulpit yesterday (Sunday) to read aloud Pope Benedict's public apology. The apology was the first of its kind issued anywhere in the world and in it, the Pope spoke of the betrayal and damage caused to the Church by some members of the clergy. And those responsible for the decades of sexual abuse against Ireland's young, Pope Benedict said, will one day answer for their actions before God. The Pope went on to acknowledge the dedication of many of Ireland's priests and religious leaders and asked them not to feel any taint of guilt by association. He also acknowledged the mistakes of Irish Bishops in not reporting child abuse to the civil authorities, opting instead to uphold the Church's own canon law. Despite however using terms such as "shame" and "remorse" in summing up the fallout from the allegations which have dogged the Catholic Church in recent weeks, some victims' groups remain critical of the papal address. Support group One in Four said the letter fell "far short" and did not address the central issue, that of a deliberate policy at the highest levels of Catholicism of protecting those involved in child sex abuse. Fr Declan Boland however disagrees. Speaking following 10am Mass at the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Strabane, he said the message coming from the Vatican was crystal clear - the need at all levels for full transparency and accountability. He said: "I think the letter is quite specific. It is a humble apology to the people of Ireland for the wrongs that have been done. "In it, the Pope asked for transparency and accountability. He also speaks of the damage that has been caused to victims and admits the hurt they are feeling." Cardinal Sean Brady provoked a ferocious backlash last week when he admitted attending a meeting 35 years ago where two young victims of pedophile priest Brendan Smyth were made sign a vow of secrecy. Fr Boland said that while he in no way defended the Cardinal's actions, they were not beyond comprehension given the church's moral authority at the time. "There is no doubt major mistakes have been made, particularly in the light of present day understanding. But without trying to diminish things, prevailing thinking within the church in the past was very different. There were different values. In hindsight, wrong was done. But secrecy was a part of that day. "I feel this letter today from the Pope is a watershed. There will be those who say it isn't enough but it is valuable and part of a process of healing," he explained. With little sign of the unrelenting pressure that has gripped the Church over the past fortnight subsiding, Fr Boland said he believed its salvation now lay in the hands of men like himself. "I firmly believe that the real momentum for the Church lies now at local level, forging a new path of transparency, trust and accountability. "In a parish like this and it is a situation replicated thousands of times across Ireland, where priests like myself are working closely together with the people on the ground, I do believe we can continue to flourish," Fr Boland said.
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