Failure to respond over Murphy gave 'bad impression'

The Irish Times
Wednesday, February 24
PATSY McGARRY and PADDY AGNEW

AN IRISH bishop told the pope and senior cardinals in the Vatican last week that the failure of Rome and the papal nunciature in Dublin to respond to correspondence from the Murphy Commission “gave a very bad impression”.

Bishop of Clonfert John Kirby said he also told the Vatican that “for years they did not appreciate the gravity of the problem” of clerical child sex abuse in Ireland.

He said there was a good response to what he said from the cardinals and Vatican officials. “There was recognition that some of the Roman Congregations were not helpful in the past. Canon law is to be updated to take greater account of the problem of clerical child sexual abuse. The obligation to report crimes to the secular state was recognised and will be encouraged,” he said.

He was “saddened that the survivors were disappointed with the outcome of the meeting. Perhaps their expectations were too high . . . As I mentioned earlier, there was an acknowledgement that changes had to be made, and an undertaking that this would happen”.

In an address on the Clonfert website, which he delivered at St Brendan’s Cathedral in Loughrea, Co Galway, last Sunday, he said it was “serious evil in matters of sexual abuse of children that led Pope Benedict XVI to invite the Irish bishops to the Vatican . . .”

Each Irish bishop “submitted the text of what he would say to the pope, the cardinals and the Vatican officials” at the meeting, he said. Topics covered included “counselling and pastoral outreach to survivors of abuse, the impact of poor management of child abuse cases, the accountability of the church, restoring confidence in the church, questioning the public credibility of bishops and priests, [and] a new understanding of sexuality and the role of women in the church”.

Looking forward to the pope’s pastoral letter to Irish Catholics, Bishop Kirby concluded: “I think a good start has been made in addressing a serious problem in the Catholic Church not only in Ireland but also worldwide.”

Yesterday, Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi told The Irish Times he had “nothing to add” to the Holy See’s press release of last Tuesday on the meeting between Pope Benedict and the Irish bishops. He was responding to questions arising from reflections Archbishop of Tuam Michael Neary posted on the Tuam website, in which he said the pope “asked for the forgiveness of the victims” at last week’s meeting. “I have to stick to what is in the [Vatican] communiqué . . . otherwise it all becomes confused,” Fr Lombardi said.

There is no reference to a papal request for forgiveness in the communiqué.


Reflections of Archbishop following Meeting in Rome
February 21, 2010 by Editor

For all day for Monday, 15th February and for most of the morning of Tuesday, Pope Benedict and senior Vatican Officials met with the Irish Bishops. This was a measure of the seriousness with which the Holy Father viewed the situation. In the discussions he asked for the forgiveness of the victims.

The sense of pain, betrayal and anger expressed by victims was conveyed by the Bishops. Scandal and shame was acknowledged by all who participated. A wide range of areas was covered in the discussion.

Central to it was the outreach to survivors, the desire to accompany them in their pain and help them find hope. The contributing causes to what had taken place and the lessons to be learned for the future were underlined. If lay people, and particularly women, had been involved as they now are in addressing this issue the response would have been different. Poor past management of sexual abuse cases has contributed to the suffering experienced by victims.

The need for co-operation with civil authorities, HSE and Gardai, and the complete implementation of the Church’s own norms and procedures were seen as central to the safeguarding of children. It was acknowledged that while this is not a problem which is peculiar to Ireland or to the English speaking world, or the Church, nevertheless its impact is intensified in the Church, damaging its credibility in a number of areas, for example, its teaching on marriage and the family, on sexual morality, and on the Church’s role in education and Catholic schools.

Criteria for admission to the seminary, the way in which priests are trained: their spiritual, human, intellectual and pastoral formation, and the need for ongoing formation were all seen to be necessary in restoring credibility. Close collaboration with laity and religious in parish and diocesan Pastoral Councils in the mission of the Church was seen to be absolutely necessary if Christ’s gospel is to be effectively proclaimed. There was great interest in and warm welcome for the enormous number of people, men and women, who are giving so generously of their services in so many Church related areas, like Boards of Management of Schools, Pastoral Councils, parish representatives for the safeguarding of children and many other ministries. Here in our own Archdiocese the Diocesan Pastoral Assembly has been a great source of inspiration, encouraging many more people to become involved in Church life. I am deeply grateful to them for the very significant contribution which they make and I invite and would welcome the involvement of more.

While there was an honest and courageous acknowledgement of the challenge facing all of us as Church at this time, the prevailing mood was one of hope and trust in God “who in Jesus Christ has reconciled the world to himself” (2 Cor). Faith is the courage to live through these challenging times, to heal the hurts and become heralds of hope. Together we can do this, knowing that Christ has promised to journey with us.

Finally, I want to thank you for your prayers in preparation for the meeting in Rome and for your ongoing support.