Document Vital for 'Journey of Renewal'

By Charlie Taylor
Irish Times
March 21, 2012

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0321/1224313640559.html

Sr Marianne O'Connor: "this has affected everybody"

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, Cardinal Seán Brady and Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland Archbishop Charles Brown at a press conference in Maynooth College yesterday to mark the publication of the summary of the findings of the apostolic visitation in Ireland.

THE REPORT on the clerical abuse crisis is intended as a contribution to the ongoing spiritual and moral renewal of the church, Primate of All-Ireland Cardinal Seán Brady has said.

Dr Brady said yesterday that the summation was not intended to replace or supersede the work of other agencies and was different from other reviews into the clerical abuse scandal in Ireland.

"This was a pastoral visitation which seeks to understand and work out the implications of faith for a given situation in which the church finds itself. We must never forget that it was offered to us as a help," he said.

Speaking in St Patrick's College, Maynooth, Dr Brady said the report provided "a helpful snapshot of a key moment on the ongoing journey of renewal, and a signpost to future priorities and directions".

He added: "As bishops we wish to associate ourselves with the great sense of pain and shame expressed in the visitation findings.

"In expressing true sorrow and regret, we make our own the heartfelt plea for forgiveness from the victims and from God, for these terrible crimes and sins."

Dr Brady said he personally regretted the fact that he did not realise earlier the impact of abuse on its victims.

He particularly welcomed the call in the report to devote more time and effort into listening to and providing support for abuse victims.

Dr Brady said the report offered great encouragement for the church by noting the continuing vitality of the Irish people's faith and acknowledgment of the work done to implement child safety guidelines. It was vital the church continued to build on these welcome signs of hope.

Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin said the extent of the abuse that happened in the church was "shattering" and those who were abused "should be foremost in our minds".Confirming that the seven individual reports would not be published, but had been made available to individual superiors, Dr Martin described the summation as a "wide-ranging, comprehensive summary of what is in all the reports".

"I recognise in this everything that was said in the draft reports I saw," he said.

Dr Martin said the report's recommendation for changes to seminaries and admission criteria for would-be priests did not mean they would be cloistered.

"I certainly think that as a trustee of Maynooth I would be very careful to ensure we don't have a system that would build a new clericalism," he said.

Sr Marianne O'Connor, director general of the Conference of Religious of Ireland, said all religious congregations would take time to review the findings with a view to ensuring that the work already undertaken in regard to safeguarding children and supporting abuse survivors continued.

"I think everyone understands that this has affected everybody. The fallout has affected all members of the church," she said.

"In that atmosphere what I think the visitation team is trying to do is encourage all elements of the church to look again at the Gospel that has inspired our lives," she said.

The papal nuncio to Ireland, Archbishop Charles Brown, said Pope Benedict had been "outstanding" in his desire and his efforts to address issues around clerical sexual abuse.

"There has been a progression and learning and an improved dressing of problems. Of that there can be no doubt," he said. "In the face of child abuse everyone is horrified by these cases and the only way in which we can respond is with an absence of arrogance and with profound humility."