Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Cardinal hopeful for papal visit

Cardinal Seán Brady is still hopeful that the time is right for a visit by the Pope to Ireland this year.

His comments are in contrast to those of Archbishop Diarmuid Martin who questioned the appropriateness of a papal visit at this time.

Dr Martin said the potential of a papal trip depended on how far the process of healing from abuse scandals had gone -- and there were ''still many steps to be taken''.

''My hope is that the Pope will come. I was listening to Archbishop Martin at the weekend about whether the moment is right or not. My hope is that the moment would be right,'' Cardinal Brady said.

He said he had no indication from the Vatican about whether or not the Pope will come this year, either in the context of the June International Eucharistic Congress or another occasion.

However, sources in Rome have indicated that a papal visit is increasingly unlikely given the fact that the Eucharistic Congress is now just over 100 days away.

A senior Vatican source also said that papal itineraries are usually released several months in advance pointing to the fact that the Pope's intention to travel to Lebanon in September, some three months after the Dublin event, has already been announced.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio at the weekend, Archbishop Martin downplayed the prospect of a papal visit while ''many of these issues of our past'' remained to be addressed.

''Short-circuiting that renewal process probably wouldn't bring the fruits that a papal visit would bring. I'm not sure that we are at that stage yet,'' Archbishop Martin said.