The crisis gripping the Catholic church deepened today, with calls for national inquiries to be held in Ireland to fully disclose the detail and extent of sexual abuse by priests.With hundreds of allegations surfacing in Germany since the start of the year, the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, said the scandal of abuse in the country's churches and schools posed a "major challenge" that could only be resolved through a full and frank inquiry into all cases.
Addressing the Bundestag in her first public statement on the subject, she called the sexual abuse of minors a "despicable crime".
She added: "The only way for our society to come to terms with it is to look for the truth and find out everything that has happened."
She warned, however, that "the damage suffered by the victims can never fully be repaired".
Her remarks, the most outspoken to have come from a head of government on the issue, came on the eve of a pastoral letter from the pope.
It will be published on Friday and addressed to the "Irish faithful" and he referred to it in his general audience at the Vatican today.
Turning to the Irish who had travelled to celebrate St Patrick's Day, he said he hoped the letter would "help in the process of repentance, renewal and healing".
Speaking in English, he said: "In recent months the church in Ireland has been severely shaken as a result of the child abuse crisis.
"As a sign of my deep concern I have written a pastoral letter dealing with this painful situation. I ask all of you to read it for yourselves, with an open heart and in a spirit of faith."
The Catholic church in Ireland has been the subject of devastating criticism in two reports detailing collusion, cruelty and endemic abuse throughout its institutions.
Last weekend, in a further blow to its reputation, the most senior Irish Catholic admitted attending meetings where two 10-year-olds were forced to sign vows of silence over complaints against Father Brendan Smyth, who continued abusing children for a further 18 years.
Cardinal Sean Brady used his St Patrick's day sermon to apologise for his role in the cover-up of child abuse by Father Smyth, one of the country's most notorious paedophile priests.
His revelation and continued public anger led the Archbishop of Dublin to say that a national inquiry, examining all cases of abuse in the country, may be the only way for the church to close the door on its shameful past.
Although the pope has taken an active interest in Irish church affairs – summoning its bishops to an emergency meeting – his letter may not be enough for victims and their families.
It was confirmed earlier this week that the pope will not visit Ireland this September in his first official tour of the UK.
At a press briefing to discuss the historic event, government and church officials ended speculation that his tour may include the Irish Republic.
They also said it was unlikely that he would discuss clerical sexual abuse because it was not the primary purpose of his visit.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to us or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that we agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
SIC: TGUK