The leadership of the Catholic Church needs to "earn a new confidence,” the Bishop of Derry, Most Rev Dr Séamus Hegarty, said in his Christmas message at the city’s Cathedral. Dr Hegarty delivered his message during Christmas Masses at St Eugene’s Cathedral on Christmas Day.
Addressing the recent publication of the Murphy report into child sex abuse in the archdiocese of Dublin, Bishop Hegarty described the response of the lay community to the findings as “understandable.”
“Since we gathered together last Christmas, many people have continued to suffer through the economic downturn,” he said. “This has eroded people’s confidence. “
“Sadly, this erosion of confidence is not confined to the financial sphere. The Ryan and Murphy Reports have shocked and dramatically affected many people’s relationship with the leadership of the church. This is understandable.”
“As we go forward the leadership of the church has to earn a new confidence and will only do so when we model ourselves on Jesus, who entered the world as a vulnerable child in Bethlehem,” he said.
Bishop Hegarty recently said that he would welcome a similar inquiry in the Diocese of Raphoe where he once served as Bishop.
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