IRELAND/VATICAN CITY
Belfast Telegraph
Sunday, 17 June 2012
Paedophile priests who abused those in their care undermined the credibility of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI has said.
In a pre-recorded address to almost 80,000 pilgrims in Dublin, the pontiff said the legacy of Irish Catholicism has been shaken by the clerical sexual abuse of children, adding it remained a mystery how clergy could commit such sins.
The Pope told the congregation attending the closing Mass of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress their forebears in the church in Ireland knew how to strive for holiness and constancy in their personal lives, and how to preach the joy that comes from the Gospel.
“Thankfulness and joy at such a great history of faith and love have recently been shaken in an appalling way by the revelation of sins committed by priests and consecrated persons against people entrusted to their care,” said Pope Benedict in an eight-minute recorded message to the crowd, which included Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Irish President Michael D Higgins.
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