Report on Findings of the Apostolic Visitation in Ireland Released
On 19 March 2010, following a meeting in the Vatican with the bishops of Ireland, Pope Benedict XVI issued a Pastoral Letter, which both expressed his deep sorrow and regret regarding clerical abuse in Ireland and announced a number of “concrete initiatives” including an Apostolic Visitation of certain dioceses in Ireland, as well as seminaries and religious congregations. The final report on these findings Summary of the Findings of the Apostolic Visitation in Ireland was released today.
During a press conference, Cardinal Brady made a number of comments, which are outlined below.
As bishops we wish to associate ourselves with the “great sense of pain and shame” expressed in the Visitation findings that, within the Christian community, “innocent young people were abused by clerics and religious to whose care they had been entrusted, while those who should have exercised vigilance often failed to do so effectively.”
The Visitation report published today arrives at a point in our history marked by a “rapid social and cultural transformation.” Certain recommendations made in the report deserve particular emphasis:
Summary of the Findings of the Apostolic Visitation in Ireland
The Apostolic Visitation to certain Dioceses, Seminaries and Religious Institutes in Ireland has been concluded. In communicating this summary of the Findings of the Apostolic Visitation, the Holy See re-echoes the sense of dismay and betrayal which the Holy Father expressed in his Letter to the Catholics of Ireland regarding the sinful and criminal acts that were at the root of this particular crisis.
The Visitation to the Dioceses was carried out in the four Metropolitoan Sees during the first few months of 2011. Special priority was given to the meetings with victims of abuse, who were assured of the particular closeness of the Holy Father.
The Visitation to the Seminaries examined the situation of four Institutes: the Pontifical Irish College in Rome, Saint Malachy’s College in Belfast, and the two Institutes in the Archdiocese of Dublin – the National Seminary, Stain Patrick’s College, Maynooth, and the Milltown Institute of th ethe Society of Jesus.
The Visitator and his assistants held individual meetings with formators and seminarians, as well as other holding positions of authority in the seminaries, including those responsible for the protection of minors.
The Visitation to the Religious Institutes took place after careful study of the responses to the questionnaire that was sent to all Institutes with Religious houses in Ireland. Meetings were held with the members of the Conference of Religious of Ireland, both in the common assemblies and in regional assemblies throughout the country. The Visitators had the opportunity to conduct extended visits to 31 Institutes.
During their stay in Ireland, the Visitators were able themselves to see just how much the shortcomings of the past gave rise to an inadequate understanding of and reaction to the terrible phenomenon of the abuse of minors, not least on the part of various Bishops and Religious Superiors. At the same time the Visitators were able to verify that, beginning in the 1990s, progressive steps have been taken towards a greater awareness of how serious is the problem of abuse, both in the church and society, and how necessary it is to find adequate measures in response.
Key recommendations in the report are as follows:
The Visitation to the Seminaries gave priority to issues involving the protection of minors and in this regard made the following observations.
Other Observations
Many lay persons have experienced a loss of trust in their Pastors. Many good priests and Religious have felt unjustly tainted by association with the accused in the court of public opinion; some have not felt sufficiently defended by their Bishops and Superiors. Those same Bishops and Superiors have often felt isolated as they sought to confront the waves of indignations and at times they have found difficult to agree on a common line of action. Only a united Church can be an effective witness to Christ in the world. There is a need to harness the contribution of the new Ecclesial Movements, in order better to reach the younger generation and to give renewed enthusiasm to Christian life.
The Visitation also placed in question the present configuration of Dioceses in Ireland and their ability to respond adequately to the challenges of the New Evangelization. The Holy See and the local episcopate have already initiated a joint reflection on this matter, in which the communities concerned are to be involved, with a view to adapting diocesan structures better suited to the present-day mission of the Church in Ireland.
Finally the Visitation attested to the great need for the Irish Catholic community to make its voice heard in the media and to establish a proper relationship with those active in this field.
The Apostolic Visitation should now be considered completed. The Holy See entrusts in conclusions to the responsibility of the Bishops, clergy, Religious and lay faithful of Ireland.
