Until the abuse crisis is fully addressed, there will not be “authentic, enduring renewal and reform” in the Church, according to Archbishop Dermot Farrell, the Primate of Ireland. Source: Crux.
Speaking at St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral in Dublin on Saturday, the archbishop spoke of a “culture of denial” with respect to sexual abuse.
“It is vital that we come to recognise the dynamics of denial, and address them. Not just the call of the Gospel, but basic human justice, demands that we not dismiss the witness of those who suffered abuse, but recognise their continuing hurt and suffering, and begin to come to terms with the fact that this darkness has roots deep within ourselves,” Archbishop Farrell said.
Earlier this month, the Report of the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools Run by Religious Orders, found there were 2395 allegations of sexual abuse in respect of 308 schools in Ireland recorded by the religious orders that ran those schools.
The allegations were made against 884 alleged abusers, around half of whom have died.
Most of the abuse cases occurred between the early 1960s and the early 1990s, with the highest number of reports happening in the early to mid-1970s.
“Listening to the stark and distressing testimony of this, and other reports over the last 20 years, is as painful and difficult, as the content of those reports is outrageous and scandalous,” Archbishop Farrell said.
“While some are filled with anger, others close their ears, or dismiss it, or explain it away, or blame the extensive coverage on hostility towards the Church, there is a thread of denial and disengagement in many of these responses.”
Archbishop Farrell then referenced the call for synodality in the Church by Pope Francis, and how the pontiff asked dioceses across the world to examine how we follow Christ together.
The archbishop said in their response to Francis’s request, the Catholics in Ireland named the toll of physical, sexual and emotional abuse, along with its concealment as the most urgent issue to be addressed.
“The ordinary faithful of our land named it for what it is: An open wound,” he said.
“Until we truly own what has happened, the necessary change of heart will remain on the surface – and a superficial ‘change of heart,’ is no change of heart.”
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Irish Archbishop says until abuse crisis is addressed, ‘authentic’ renewal is impossible for Church (By Charles Collins, Crux)
