By Grant Collinson and Rosemary Lowne
Herald Scotland
March 21, 2010
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/pope-tells-the-victims-of-ireland-s-paedophile-priests-he-is-truly-sorry-1.1014918
Pope Benedict XVI has issued a letter of apology to victims of Catholic paedophile priests in Ireland.
In the pastoral letter addressed to Irish Catholics yesterday, the Pope acknowledged the abuse suffered by victims and expressed the shame felt by the church.
The letter is the first statement of its kind in the history of the Catholic Church on the sexual abuse of children.
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| Pope Benedict XVI issued an unreserved apology |
In the letter, Pope Benedict told the victims: "You have suffered grievously and I am truly sorry."
He added: "It is understandable that you find it hard to forgive or be reconciled with the Church. In her name, I openly express the shame and remorse that we all feel."
The letter follows revelations of abuse in Ireland and several other countries across Europe including Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Austria, as well as reports from the US.
Response to the letter has been mixed.
Simon Bass is deputy CEO of the Churches' Child Protection Advisory Service (CCPAS), an organisation which provides support for those affected by abuse.
He said yesterday: "I can appreciate that a number of survivor groups would feel this doesn't go far enough. However, there are a number of positives: it's unprecedented for the Pope to make such an apology."
Mr Bass said he felt the balance of the letter could have been better, in particular its repeated emphasis on the abuse having taken place within the context of an increasingly secular Ireland.
"It would have been better to address the core of the issue, that of priests abusing," said Mr Bass.
He also criticised what he felt was the absence of any attempt to provide a resolution to the problem.
He said: "In terms of a resolution, that's not even addressed."
In his letter, the Pope refers to the "new and serious challenges to the faith arising from the rapid transformation and secularisation of Irish society".
He goes on: "Fast-paced social change has occurred, often adversely affecting people's traditional adherence to Catholic teaching and values. All too often, the sacramental and devotional practices that sustain faith and enable it to grow, such as frequent confession, daily prayer and annual retreats, were neglected."
The Pope also directly addressed the abusers.
He said: "You betrayed the trust that was placed in you by innocent young people and their parents, and you must answer for it before Almighty God and before properly constituted tribunals."
The Pope also made remarks about the allegations of a cover-up from within the Catholic Church in Ireland, referring to "a misplaced concern for the reputation of the Church and the avoidance of scandal" as one the contributing factors "that gave rise to the present crisis".
The letter will be read out in full to Catholics at Mass this morning.
Parish priest of St Charles Church in Paisley, Father James Byers, said he welcomed the apology.
He said: "While we know it will never repair the damage done in the past, I think it is a step forward and is an acknowledgement as opposed to burying heads in the sand. It is an acknowledgement that things were not handled properly in the past.
"In Scotland today, the Catholic Church is at the forefront of child protection and legislation, and every diocese in Scotland has very strict rules and guidance. But in the past things were not dealt with as they should have been. Priests were moved from one parish to another instead of being dealt with. The holy father is acknowledging that it has done so much damage to the church."
Father Byers also said he knows of priests in Ireland who have been the victims of attacks in the street because of the revelations.
"It has had a devastating effect as there are so many good priests in Ireland, about 99.9%. But some priests have been on the receiving end of shouting, swearing and abuse. This is because of the hurt that has caused a whole community."
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