Ireland's 2012 International Eucharistic Congress will continue as
planned, from June 10-17, despite calls to postpone the event following
the recently released Cloyne Report on clerical abuse.
“It is
especially important for people in times of challenge or crisis that
they can gather in solidarity and rediscover their essential truths,”
said Father Kevin Doran, secretary general of the Eucharistic Congress,
on July 29.
He told CNA that “Catholics are no different in this
regard” and the Eucharistic Congress will “support that need” within the
Church.
Senator Cait Keane, a member of Ireland's ruling Fine
Gael party, had proposed the postponement, telling the Irish parliament
on July 27 that “everyone will be better served, given the sensitivities
around the findings of this report,” if the congress is “held at a
later date.”
The controversial Association of Catholic Priests,
which calls for a “re-structuring of the governing system of the Church”
and a “redesigning of ministry in the Church,” has backed the idea of
postponement.
But Fr. Doran said there was “substantial enthusiasm
for the Congress,” both locally and internationally, and noted that the
Church had been planning the event since June 2008.
He added that
the Congress is not just a week-long event but a “pilgrimage of
renewal,” where participants can come together to explore the meaning of
Eucharist in all its dimensions, including the challenge of acting
justly and walking humbly with God.”