By Carolyn Churchill
Herald Scotland
April 4, 2010
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/cardinal-moves-to-calm-fears-of-scots-catholics-1.1018220
SCOTLAND -- The leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland is to try to convince the public that the Church in Scotland is doing everything in its power to protect children from paedophiles in the priesthood.
Cardinal Keith O'Brien gave the assurance in an interview with the BBC due to be broadcast tomorrow.
The Cardinal said checks were carried out on everyone entering the priesthood in Scotland to ensure the safety of youngsters.
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| Cardinal Keith O’Brien pledges in a BBC interview that children will be protected |
Cardinal O'Brien will today use his annual Easter Sunday homily to say sorry to victims of abuse, telling those gathered at St Mary's Cathedral in Edinburgh that Catholics have been left "demoralised and confused" by the abuse.
Speaking several months before the Pope is due to visit Scotland, Cardinal O'Brien will claim that the actions of those who failed to report the allegations "bring shame on us all".
He will say: "Many evils have been committed throughout the world, particularly with regard to the sexual abuse of children and young people.
"The past weeks and months have not been easy for any one of us – and I share with you the shame of so many others in our Church near at home and far afield."
The Catholic Church in Ireland has been rocked in recent months after revelations that paedophile priests got away with decades of horrific child sex abuse.
The Vatican was forced to distance itself from comments made on Friday by Pope Benedict's personal preacher, who likened the criticism of the Church over the sex abuse scandal to "collective violence" suffered by the Jews.
A Vatican spokesman said the comparison "is absolutely not the line of the Vatican and of the Catholic Church".
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, became involved in the controversy when he said in an interview to be broadcast tomorrow that the Catholic Church had lost all credibility in Ireland.
The Anglican leader later phoned the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, who said he was stunned by the comment, to assure him that he had not intended to "offend or criticise" the Catholic Church in Ireland.
Speaking before the telephone call, Archbishop Martin, who has called for full accountability in the Church over child abuse, said: "I have been more than forthright in addressing the failures of the Catholic Church in Ireland. I still shudder when I think of the harm that was caused to abused children. I recognise that their Church failed them.
"But I also journey with those – especially parents and priests – who work day by day to renew the Catholic Church in this diocese and who are committed to staying with their Church and passing on the faith in wearying times.
"Archbishop Williams's comments will be for them immensely disheartening and will challenge their faith even further."
The Anglican archbishop of Dublin, Dr John Neill, expressed his support for Martin, describing Williams's comments as regrettable.
He said: "I extend to archbishop Diarmuid Martin my support as he works for the proclamation of the gospel and the healing of hurt."
A statement released by the Dublin Archdiocese last night said: "The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, this afternoon telephoned Archbishop Diarmuid Martin to express his deep sorrow and regret for difficulties which may have been created by remarks in a BBC interview concerning the credibility of the Catholic Church in Ireland.
"Archbishop Williams affirmed that nothing could have been farther from his intention than to offend or criticise the Irish Church."
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