From Dublin, Pope Francis launched a profound request for forgiveness for the sexual abuse of children and women, for all the victims. A repeated request that still stands, along with a firm commitment to fight against abuse in the Church.
Text - Giovanni Tridente, Rome
The first words in this sense were pronounced by the Holy Father during the meeting with the authorities, as soon as he landed in Dublin, where, in the face of the reality of the most vulnerable, he acknowledged that "the serious scandal" caused - previously also in Ireland - by ecclesiastics who should have been protecting and educating them. A failure that rightly arouses indignation, while at the same time "remains a cause of suffering and shame for the Catholic community.".
In the chapel of apparitions at the shrine of Knock, the Pope said that he had presented St. Mary to the following people "all survivors, victims of abuse by members of the Church in Ireland."including minors who have been subjected to "has stolen their innocence or taken them away from their mothers has left them with a scar of painful memories."reiterating a firm commitment to "in the pursuit of truth and justice"..
Surprisingly, after having met the day before with eight victims of various types of abuse by the clergy, during the closing Mass of the Meeting the Holy Father decided to pronounce a penitential act in which, in a collected tone, he once again asked forgiveness for these types of crimes. Among them he also listed the cases of labor abuse and those of children who were taken from their mothers - girls/mothers - and then prevented from looking for them because it was said "that 'it was a mortal sin'". The Pope has implored the Lord that "maintain and increase this state of shame and compunction." giving strength "so that it will never happen again and so that justice will be done.".
Finally, there were also references to the subject in the meeting with the bishops of the country, where he invited them to never lower their guard. "in the face of the seriousness and extent of abuses of power, conscience and sexual abuse in different social contexts.". In the face of painful humiliations, the Pope called for courage, closeness and proximity to overcome the image "of an authoritarian, harsh and autocratic Church.".
To other aspects of the painful situation created in the Church by these abuses, and to the letter addressed by the Holy Father to the People of God, are devoted the Analysis and the Opinion on the following pages.
