Pope asks for forgiveness as he sets out litany of abuse by figures in Irish church
● Francis says that hierarchy is guilty of cover-ups and lack of compassion
The Pope has asked for forgiveness for the crimes of church figures in Ireland as he laid bare a litany of abuse and mistreatment meted out to victims.
Addressing a large crowd at an open air mass in Dublin as his visit to the country drew to a close, Francis said the church hierarchy had been guilty of cover-ups and failing to show compassion.
Praying for the strength to achieve justice for the victims, the Pope referred to his private meeting with eight abuse survivors on Saturday evening, saying that he wanted to take up what they had said to him.
“We ask forgiveness for the abuses in Ireland, abuses of power, of conscience, and sexual abuses perpetrated by members with roles of responsibility in the church,” the Pope said.
“In a special way, we ask pardon for all the abuses committed in various types of institutions run by males or female religious and by other members of the Church, and we ask for forgiveness for those cases of manual work that so many young women and men were subjected to. We ask forgiveness.”
The reverberations of a litany of clerical sex crimes have cast a shadow over the first papal visit to Ireland since 1979.
The Pope’s plea for forgiveness rang out around Phoenix Park as elsewhere in Dublin survivors and campaigners protested about his visit.
A vigil for the victims was also held at the site of the mother and baby home in Tuam, Co Galway, where a mass grave containing around 800 babies not afforded proper burials was recently uncovered.
The Pope told the pilgrims who braved the rain and a 3km walk to reach Phoenix Park: “We ask forgiveness for the times that, as a church, we did not show the survivors of whatever kind of abuse the compassion and the seeking of justice and truth through concrete actions. We ask for forgiveness.
“We ask for forgiveness for some of the Church hierarchy who did not take charge of these situations and kept quiet. We ask for forgiveness.
“We ask for forgiveness for all those times in which many single mothers were told that to seek their children who had been separated from them, and the same being said to daughters and sons themselves, that this was a mortal sin.
“This is not a mortal sin. We ask for forgiveness.”
The pontiff ended the prayer by asking: “Give us the strength to work for justice. Amen.” His words were met with applause by the massive crowd of faithful.
The Papal Mass in Dublin came hours after the Pope called for firm action in pursuing justice for church abuse victims.
On the second day of his visit to Ireland, he said the crimes committed by members of the Church had left an “open wound”.
At an address at the holy shrine of Knock, in Co Mayo, he said no-one could fail to be moved by stories of young abuse victims who were “robbed of their innocence” and left with “painful memories”.
Thousands who came to see the Pope at a site revered by Irish Catholics applauded as he urged decisive steps to bring truth to the victims.
“I beg the Lord’s forgiveness for these sins and for the scandal and betrayal felt by so many others in God’s family,” he said.