ARCHBISHOP of Dublin Diarmuid Martin admitted the Catholic Church has made mistakes in dealing with clerical sexual abuse of children and asked forgiveness for any hurt he had personally caused. Giving a homily on World Peace Day at Booterstown yesterday, the archbishop called for partnership in eliminating all forms of abuse of children wherever it exists around the world, and called for the Church to become “a model” of protection.
His comments come just days after the archbishop said he was extremely concerned about the mishandling of child sexual abuse complaints in the diocese of Cloyne.
Referring to the growing number of calls for Bishop John Magee to resign, Archbishop Martin said: “He should do what is best for child protection.”
Bishop Magee has withstood weeks of pressure and is steadfastly refusing to stand down.
Speaking yesterday, Archbishop Martin told the congregation: “We need a Church which protects and we need a Church which becomes a model and a partner of protection.
“I would hope, for example, that in the year to come it would be possible to take up the appeal made by Pope Benedict at his Christmas Mass and work on the basis of partnership to eliminate all the various forms of abuse of children wherever they exist in our nation and around the world. As archbishop of Dublin I recognise the faults of the Church in this area and I ask for pardon at the beginning of a new year, especially where I personally have caused hurt,” he said.
His comments are thought to refer to a report by the Dublin Archdiocese Commission of Investigation, which is expected to go before the cabinet within weeks and to be published shortly afterwards.
It is believed it will provide damning evidence of how the archdiocese failed to properly protect young children.
Archbishop Martin also said that the Church must do more to care for elderly people.
“We need today also a church which takes a lead in the protection of the elderly, to ensure that they can live and be blessed with the graciousness and security and peace they deserve and can continue to bring their contribution to society,” he said.
The cloud of child sex abuse still hangs over the Church, with recent revelations about cover-ups at Cloyne.
The HSE report into the systems failures that led to the mishandling of child abuse complaints in the diocese of Cloyne is due to be published later this month.
A second investigation into child protection procedures in all the Catholic Church’s dioceses will also be published this month.
This second HSE audit raised a red flag about dubious practices in Cloyne, it was revealed recently.
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Sotto Voce
(Source: IE)
What a hypocrite.
ReplyDeleteHe does not give a damn about anyone. All you get is talk, talk, talk, excuses, excuses, excuses.
He like the others are just mouthpieces. Not a very charitable thing to state in the New Year but that is the way I see it. Apologies only come when things get really tough in the media. Then they mouth the words of apology which are not sincere when they sat and did nothing for half a century knowing what was going on.
It is a laugh too saying that the elderly and others should be able to contribute - saying this when they are throwing Parishioners out of Church groups. What a hypocrite. You can see when he appeared on Late Late Show for a man of his age not a wrinkle on his brow of anywhere on his face because he lives in an ivory tower where he is pampered unlike most of the members of the Church struggling to live day to day the lines on their faces like a roadmap at a younger age than this pampered man.
When these reports come out the baskets for the collections in the Churches should remain EMPTY, STAY EMPTY INDEFINITELY.
The money should be given to St.Vincent de Paul and other Agencies who actually care about their fellow human being and try to help them as best they can not to any cause the begging letters of the Church call out for from these pampered men in their ivory towers.
If they want money let the Pope sell off some of his surplus art works, jewels, property.
Our local church OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE, BRAY keeps reminding us to return the Christmas Dues envelopes as soon as possible PLUS a new canvass of the Parish is to start shortly to get those that can still actually afford to give anything to increase their contributions. This at a time when the Parish has €250,000 in bank account enough to replace the roof that is needed but is to borrow almost €700,000 for other unnecessary items to be done inside the Church that are not required except to boost the ego of the LITTLE MAN who is the Parish Priest and who will leave the Church in massive debt when he leaves when it is now debt free. Also he sits in a large family house when the Presbytery in the Church grounds can accommodate him but it is not to his liking. If he wants this unnecessary work done why not give up his house and use the money now to pay for the work not wait until he leaves the Parish. Oh that would not suit he needs his trappings of luxury in the house he spent a fortune on to make comfortable just over 4 years ago. So think twice before you throw money towards the Church it is paying to keep the pampered ones in the manner to which they have become accustomed.
There your Grace I have said it all and I think there is a strong ring of truth to it.
AMEN.