Martin says Pope must address sex abuse legacy

By Jerome Reilly
Irish Independent
July 22, 2018

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/martin-says-pope-must-address-sex-abuse-legacy-37141762.html

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin. Photo by Frank McGrath

Pope Francis must address the "wounds" caused by clerical child sex abuse when he visits Ireland next month, Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin said yesterday.

The Pope's two-day visit takes place on August 25 and 26 and coincides with the World Meeting of Families.

Some 80,000 people are expected for the climax of the gathering at Croke Park, with attendees from 116 countries.

Pope Francis will hear testimony from families from India, Iraq, Ireland and Burkina Faso on a wide range of topics.

The Festival of Families at the GAA headquarters will be a two-hour spectacle of music, dance and worship. The music line-up for the World Meeting of Families includes Daniel O'Donnell, Nathan Carter and Riverdance.

Hollywood actor and musician Patrick Bergin will also perform and five families will share their stories with Pope Francis.

A 50-strong orchestra and more than 700 Irish sean nos and contemporary dancers will also perform at the event.

All 500,000 tickets for the Mass that Pope Francis will celebrate in the Phoenix Park have been snapped up, along with the 45,000 tickets for the visit to Knock shrine earlier that day.

The pontiff will also visit Dublin Castle and the Pro-Cathedral, before a private visit to the Capuchin Day Centre for homeless families.

Yesterday on The Marian Finucane Show on RTE radio, Archbishop Martin said it is important that Pope Francis does not address the issue of abuse as part of the church's history but as part of the present because "the wounds are there and new wounds are emerging".

Archbishop Martin said that if he had been asked two years ago, he would have been talking about institutions and abuse by clergy.

But now, he said there are the Magdalene Laundries, the Mother and Baby homes and a whole series of other places where abuse is emerging as a sad dimension of the way the church developed.

He said Pope Francis recognises that Ireland has changed and that is one of the reasons he is coming.

He was also asked about the Pope's reaction to the same-sex marriage and abortion referendums.

He stated that Pope Francis never got involved but there was surprise at the numbers who voted in favour of the proposals.

Because the Pope does not speak English, there will be English text displayed on screens at events.

Asked about the dropping of references to same-sex families in promotional material for the World Meeting of Families, he said there was discomfort with one picture that he believed would have given the impression that the events were "only about gays".

He said he took responsibility for that and he added that non-traditional families were welcome.

Dr Martin said that he thought the Catholic Church's phrase "intrinsically disordered" was an unfortunate one to describe homosexuality and he said they had to get rid of language that was offensive.

Last week, the Cabinet was briefed on the papal visit and ministers were told that the State should use the visit of to send a message that Ireland is diverse, inclusive and respectful.

The arrival of the pontiff in Ireland was described as a "significant visit by one of the most recognised leaders" and that the State would provide all the necessary assistance that is appropriate for such a visit.

Ministers were also told there are health and safety concerns and security risks associated with the visit.

The Cabinet was told that among those risks is the age profile of the audience, the length of time individuals will be in the venues and transportation to and from the events.

Pope Francis will also travel through Dublin city centre, which carries a security risk.

Last Thursday, Archbishop Martin said the Festival of Families aims at celebrating family life.

"Family is central to any society. Family is the backbone of inter-generational solidarity and of the passing on of values from one generation to the next. Families face challenges. Families face challenges and at times shame all of us who watch them face difficulties while society fails them," he said.

The Archbishop added that Pope Francis will go to the Capuchin centre especially to be with families who are homeless or living in hotel rooms and who come to the centre every day because they could never have a regular meal together otherwise.

But he warned: "Pope Francis will not work miracles. In a visit of little more than 36 hours, it will not be possible for him to design a new roadmap for the Irish church.

"At most he can offer the Irish church the instruments on which that new road map can be drawn.

"We all have to understand, however, that while you can still draw maps on paper, maps today are different. They are interactive and constantly being updated. Pope Francis will challenge the Irish church to be authentically the church in a changed culture," he added.