I Am Truly Sorry, by Noel Baker, Irish Examiner, March 22, 2010

'I Am Truly Sorry'

By Noel Baker
Irish Examiner
March 22, 2010

http://www.examiner.ie/home/i-am-truly-sorry-115165.html

IRELAND -- BISHOPS criticised in the Pope's pastoral letter could come under renewed pressure to resign after the message to Irish Catholics sparked anger among some victims' groups.

There was a mixed response to the contents of the letter, with some survivors of abuse welcoming Pope Benedict's apology for clerical child sex abuse, while others said it did not go far enough.

In extraordinary scenes, Bishop of Kerry Bill Murphy was verbally attacked as he read the Gospel at Mass at St Mary's Cathedral in Killarney yesterday, while at Dublin's Pro-Cathedral protesters staged a walkout demonstration.

In the letter, which was made available to Mass-goers across the country at services on Saturday night and yesterday, Pope Benedict refers to the "inadequate response" to the abuse, which he said was "peculiar neither to Ireland nor to the Church".

"You have suffered grievously and I am truly sorry," he told victims, adding that, in the name of the Church, "I openly express the remorse and shame that we all feel".

As for the bishops charged with protecting people from sexual abuse, the letter states: "It cannot be denied that you and your predecessors failed, at times grievously, to apply the long-established norms of canon law to the crime of child abuse.

"All this has seriously undermined your credibility and effectiveness."

The letter also reveals that an Apostolic Visitation of certain dioceses, seminaries and religious congregations will take place to check whether they are fit for mission. A similar hands-on review is already taking place in the Church in the United States.

Primate of All Ireland Cardinal Seán Brady, who is under pressure following recent revelations, welcomed the pastoral letter and asked people to read it "with an open heart and a spirit of faith".

However, in some churches, sections of the letter were not read out. There were also flashpoints, such as in Killarney, when a Tralee man in his 40s entered St Mary's during the service and had to be restrained by members of the congregation as he verbally abused the bishop. He was ejected and later questioned by gardaí.

In Dublin's Pro-Cathedral, around 20 protesters staged a walkout when the issue of the pastoral letter was brought up during the 12.45pm service. Organiser Leo O'Shaughnessy from Dublin set up a Facebook page advocating the action last week and said yesterday it was done to highlight the inadequate response from the Vatican to the problem of clerical child sex abuse.

"I read the letter and I was quite surprised at how still the Vatican and the See of St Peter refuse to accept that this is a problem endemic to the Catholic Church," he said.

Abuse survivor Andrew Madden said both the Pope and Cardinal Brady should resign as the Pope had refused to acknowledge the cover-up of decades of abuse: "It changes nothing. They should both resign."

One In Four director Maeve Lewis said the Church was still in denial over aspects of the abuse perpetrated by its members: "Pope Benedict has passed up a glorious opportunity to address the core issue in the clerical sexual abuse scandal: the deliberate policy of the Catholic Church at the highest levels to protect sex offenders, thereby endangering children. The Pope speaks only of the failures in the Irish Church, and neglects the role of the Vatican."

However, the Irish Survivors of Child Abuse (SOCA) group welcomed the letter, claiming it "represents a highly emotional and long overdue" apology to those damaged by clerical abuse.

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre also welcomed many aspects of the letter.

Meanwhile, it was reported yesterday that Bishop of Clogher Joseph Duffy was involved in a case where children and parents were made to sign oaths of non-disclosure following a probe into clerical sexual abuse.