The report advanced a number of key reforms to safeguard children and also notes that this ‘time of trial’ has revealed the vitality and strength of Irish faith.
A DELEGATION of senior Catholic Church officials has acknowledged that sex abuse scandals in Ireland have led to a loss of trust in members of the clergy.
The findings form part of the Holy See’s investigation into seminaries and dioceses across Ireland in the wake of controversy over the church’s handling of clerical sex abuse cases.
The report also proposes a number of reforms to improve child protection, along with pastoral priorities to help with the renewal of the church.
The report was completed after seven teams of Vatican-appointed church leaders visited Ireland.
The teams visited the four Irish archdioceses, two seminaries and male and female congregations.
It found that while guidelines to protect children are being followed, academic programmes in seminaries should put more focus on the issue.
During their stay in Ireland, members of the apostolic visitation were able to see how much shortcomings of the past gave rise to an inadequate understanding of and reaction to the terrible abuse of minors, the report stated.
“With a great sense of pain and shame, it must be acknowledged that . . . innocent young people were abused by clerics and religious to whose care they had been entrusted, while those who should have exercised vigilance often failed to do so,” it states.
It notes that many lay people have experienced a loss of trust in their pastors, while many good priests and religious have felt unjustly tainted by association.
On the other hand, it says this “time of trial” has brought to light the vitality of the Irish people’s faith, how many religious are living out their vocation and the level of lay involvement in areas such as child protection.
Pastoral priorities
The need for a new focus on the role of the laity in accordance with the social teachings of the church is identified as one of a series of pastoral priorities.
The need for deeper formation in the content of the faith for young people and adults is also highlighted, as is the need to identify better ways to reach younger generations.
It says a careful review is needed of the training given to teachers of religions, the Catholic identity of schools and their relationship with their parishes to ensure a “sound and well-balanced education”.
The “visitators” also found a tendency among some clergy to hold theological opinions at variance with church authorities.
“ . . . this serious situation requires particular attention . . . it must be stressed that dissent from the fundamental teachings of the church is not the authentic path towards renewal”.
The report states that the forthcoming International Eucharistic Congress will represent an important opportunity for prayer, reflection and instruction on the content of the Christian creed.
Structures
The report acknowledges that much attention and care has been shown to victims.
It recommends that diocesan authorities and religious institutes continue to devote much time listening to victims, as well as providing support for them and their families.
“The meetings with the victims of abuse helped the delegation to understand better various aspects of the problem of sexual abuse of minors that took place in Ireland,” the report states.
The delegation verified that the church’s guidelines for safeguarding children were being followed and recommended that the process of auditing the performance of all dioceses and religious institutes be promptly implemented.
It found that the work of the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the church was “thorough and far-reaching” and should continue to be supported.
Overall, the delegation was struck by the efforts by bishops, priests, religious and lay persons in implementing guidelines on safeguarding children and creating safe environments, the report states.
Seminaries
The delegation found that each seminary had clear child protection rules in place and were committed to educating future priests with a broad understanding of what is involved in protecting minors.
To further improve this process, it suggests that seminaries place a greater focus on child protection in the academic programme, with increased pastoral attention to victims of sexual abuse and their families.
The preparation for the priesthood should include a more systematic preparation for a life of celibacy.
In the area of admission to seminaries, it indicates that there should be more consistent admission criteria that involves the seminary in consultation with the dioceses examining and deciding on the admissibility of candidates.
Greater concern for the intellectual formation of seminarians is also needed to ensure that teaching is in full conformity with that of church authorities.
Congregations
The report states that every religious congregation should perform audits over the implementation of guidelines for safeguarding children.
The religious should also consider developing a collaborative ministerial outreach to those suffering from the effects of abuse.
In addition, there should be updated guidelines for handling the varied cases of members of the clergy who have been accused but in whose cases the Director of Public Prosecutions has decided not to proceed.
In addition, policies regarding the falsely accused and their return to ministry should be formulated, along with guidance regarding the appropriate settings and conditions under which offenders should live.