The president of the Irish episcopal conference says the Church in his nation can regain credibility in the aftermath of a widespread sexual abuse scandal. But, he says, it will take time and humiliation.
Cardinal Sean Brady, archbishop of Armagh and primate of All Ireland, is returning to his country after two days of meetings with Benedict XVI, his fellow Irish bishops, and representatives of the Roman Curia.
The cardinal said today to journalists gathered at the Vatican Radio offices that he’s convinced the Church can recover.
The Pope called all of the acting Irish bishops to join him in Rome, after having already met Dec. 11 with Cardinal Brady, and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin. The meetings have been to discuss the Murphy Commission Report, which details abuse cases in the Dublin Archdiocese from 1975 to 2004. That report was published last November and it followed another, the Ryan report, which was released last May and detailed child abuse in Catholic schools throughout the country.
Cardinal Brady said that at the beginning of the meeting Monday, each of the 24 Irish diocesan bishops addressed those gathered.
In statements to ZENIT, the cardinal disclosed that in his address, he informed the bishops and the Pope on the latest events of the Church in Ireland — which has also seen positive developments, such as advances in the issue of disarmament — but above all he dedicated time to his experience after having listened to persons affected by the abuse.
Cardinal Brady recounted his “own personal story of the impact of listening to the various people we have met in the last six weeks. Last Thursday, I met 70 parishioners and they told me about their shock and shame and they want to know how it could have happened.”
The bishops’ president was accompanied by four other prelates in his meeting with the press.
ROME, FEB. 16, 2010 (Zenit.org)