Pope ‘ begs God’s forgiveness’ over sexual abuse scandal
Pontiff calls for ‘ firm and decisive’ measures to find ‘ truth and justice’
Pope Francis “begged for God’s forgiveness” on Sunday for multiple abuse scandals within the Irish church but faced accusations by a former Vatican official that he had personally ignored allegations against senior clergy.
In front of 45,000 supporters at the rain- soaked Knock shrine in the west of Ireland, the pope sought forgiveness over the “open wound” of the church’s sexual abuse scandal and demanded “firm and decisive” measures to find “truth and justice”. At a later Mass to tens of thousands of flag- waving worshippers at Dublin’s Phoenix Park, the showpiece event of the two- day visit to the former Catholic stronghold, he also confessed to other abuses by the Irish church, including at its so- called “mother and baby” homes.
But in the city centre around 5,000 abuse victims and their supporters braved the weather to attend the “Stand for Truth” rally.
A woman dressed as a nun, with fake blood on her hands, and a man handing out homemade placards reading “the church protects pederasts” were among those protesting.
Pope Francis in Ireland Sunday “begged for God’s forgiveness” for the child sexual abuse scandal rocking the church.
Francis was due to speak in front of some 500,000 faithful in Dublin’s Phoenix Park as part of his two- day visit to the former Catholic stronghold of Ireland, as abuse victims and their supporters gathered in a “Stand for Truth” rally in the city centre to demand justice.
During Sunday’s address to 45,000 supporters at the rain- soaked Knock shrine in the west of the country, the Pope “begged for God’s forgiveness” for the “open wound” of the scandal and demanded “firm and decisive” measures to find “truth and justice”.
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar on Saturday directly urged the pope to take action against abuses and ensure justice for victims worldwide.
Francis said that inaction over “these repellent crimes has rightly given rise to outrage, and remains a source of pain and shame for the Catholic community. I myself share those sentiments”.
Francis on Saturday also met eight abuse victims, including a woman assaulted by a priest when she was in hospital aged 13 and a man who was illegally adopted because his mother was unmarried.
In a strongly- worded speech at the start of the Pope’s visit, Mr Varadkar said the abuses in Ireland were “stains” on the Catholic Church, the state and Irish society as a whole.
“There is much to be done to bring about justice and truth and healing for victims and survivors. Holy Father, I ask that you use your office and influence to ensure that this is done here in Ireland and across the world,” he said.
He demanded of Francis “that from words flow actions”.
Paul Jude Redmond, who was illegally adopted from a Church- run “Mother and Baby Home” and met the Pope on Saturday, said that the pontiff appeared “genuinely shocked” by the stories of abuse.
But at a news conference in Dublin on Saturday by the group Ending Clergy Abuse ( ECA), victim Mark Vincent Healey said that the Pope’s speech in Dublin was a “total missed opportunity”. “We’re still waiting. We’re left with uncertain silence. When is he going to act? What is he going to do?”
This is the first papal visit to Ireland since John Paul II spoke in front of 1.5 million people during a visit in 1979.
The Church’s role and standing has been badly dented by the abuse scandals and the Irish have shed traditional Catholic mores, voting earlier this year to legalise abortion after approving same- sex marriage in 2015.