Defining test for church and Pope

The visit of Pope Francis was an important moment for Catholics in Ireland, many of whom feel beleaguered because of abuse scandals within the church and hostility from outside it. The Pope’s sincerity and humility shone through in all of his public engagements. These qualities enabled him to reassure believers in the value of their faith, while impressing many non-believers.

It was vitally important that the Pope acknowledged the colossal failures of the church – and particularly its betrayal of the young and the vulnerable. His plea for forgiveness and his meeting with victims showed his awareness of the damage and hurt inflicted by abuse and the failure of those in authority in the church to deal with it.

While Pope Francis appears sincere in his appeal for forgiveness, nothing can repair the damage done and words are, in themselves, not enough. The church will have to demonstrate that it is truly serious about rooting out abuse and tackling the culture that allowed it to develop. That will include new investigations, redress and handing over documents.

This must be done for the victims, but also for all the practising Catholics in Ireland and across the world who feel betrayed by the church they cherish. The Catholic Church can have no credibility without this happening and it is the defining test of Francis’ papacy.