IRELAND
The Association of Catholic Priests
On 23rd June 2012 the website of the ACP published a reflection by Kevin, a survivor of clerical sexual abuse. Now entitled “Abuse by priests causes spiritual wounds” it begins with the following question:
” Is it possible to get some kind of dispensation from the need for priests in the spiritual life of a Roman Catholic?”
Kevin then explained that as there seems to be a Catholic canonical requirement that the observant Catholic must regularly interface with clergy for the reception of the Catholic sacraments, this poses serious problems for survivors of clerical abuse – because such meetings can be unpredictable ‘triggers’ that recall traumatically abusive past events.
To date this question has received no response that could be said to fully answer it, from someone qualified and authorised to speak on behalf of the Irish Catholic church.
This raises for me the following questions:
1. Does the Irish Catholic church have any agency that has the specific and qualified responsibility of reaching out pastorally to people in Kevin’s situation? (The website of ‘Towards Healing’ strongly suggests that Kevin’s specific concerns lie well outside that agency’s remit.)
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