Pope speaks of anguish over abuse
scandals
THE Pope last week spoke emotionally for the first time of his personal
“anguish and horror” at the horrendous clerical child sex
abuse scandals in Wexford.
The Pontiff broke his silence exactly a year after a government inquiry
found the scale of abuse in the diocese of Ferns made it one of the worst
places in the world for systematic rape of young children by abusing priests.
The Pope’s expression of his “deep sorrow and distress”
for the devastation caused to the victims was conveyed to the Bishop of
Ferns Denis Brennan during a private audience at the Vatican.
Bishop Brennan who took over the Ferns diocese last April is on the five-yearly
statutory visit to the Pope.
For the past two weeks he and 33 other bishops have been meeting the senior
heads of the various congregations which make up the Curia, the Papal
civil service.
Ferns director of Communications Fr John Carroll said the Pope had expressed
his deep sorrow and distress at the suffering endured by the victims of
child sexual abuse involving some priests in the diocese.
The Pope had asked Bishop Brennan to assure those who have been sexually
abused by priests of his concern for them and his deep regret at the harm
and suffering they have experienced.
“His prayer at this time is for healing and peace of all those who
have suffered,” the statement added.
According to Fr Carroll Pope Benedict asked Bishop Brennan to convey to
all the faithful of the diocese of Ferns his care and solicitude for them
as Supreme Pastor of the Universal Church.
He said: “The Holy Father expressed prayerful solidarity with the
lay-faithful, religious and priests of Ferns in the sufferings they have
endured and in the deep pain caused by the scandal of sexual abuse of
the young, by some of those entrusted with the sacred ministry.
“The Pope expressed his personal anguish and horror at the incomprehensible
behaviour of those clergy, whose actions have devastated human lives and
profoundly betrayed the trust of children, young people, their families,
parish communities and the entire diocesan family.”
The Ferns report found 26 offending clergy in the diocese but only named
six of them.
|
