THE HOLY See yesterday issued a communique marking the “Conclusion Of
The First Phase Of The Apostolic Visitation In Ireland”, indicating its
final report will not be published until early 2012.
Pointing out
that the focus of the visitation remains the origins and the handling
of the Irish clerical sex abuse crisis, the communique calls the
visitation “very useful”.
The visits to the four metropolitan
archdioceses and to the seminaries have been concluded whilst those to
the religious institutes may require some further “in loco” (on the
spot) visits.
The visitors’ reports have already undergone “an
initial evaluation” both from the individual Vatican dicasteries
(departments) and from a joint meeting involving the Congregation for
Bishops, the Congregation for Catholic Education, the Congregation for
Institutes of Consecrated Life as well, of course, as the Secretariat Of
State.
Many may be tempted to conclude that yesterday’s
communique represents some sort of answer to Archbishop Diarmuid Martin
of Dublin, who last week complained about the slow pace of the
visitation process.
If that is so, then the Holy See has confirmed that
it continues to follow its own timetable, as evidenced by the
confirmation that the final report will not be published until “early
next year”.
Senior Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi Monday said the statement had nothing to do with the archbishop’s comments.
He
defended the visitors’ work, arguing that a complex survey like this
requires both time and reflection.
The visitation has “respected” the
original timetable drawn up by the Holy See, he said.