THE POPE’S WORDS - EXTRACTS FROM THE PASTORAL LETTER OF THE HOLY FATHER
POPE BENEDICT XVI TO THE CATHOLICS OF
1. DEAR BROTHERS AND
SISTERS OF THE CHURCH IN IRELAND, it is with great concern that I write to you
as Pastor of the universal Church. Like yourselves, I have been deeply disturbed
by the information which has come to light regarding the abuse of children and
vulnerable young people by members of the Church in
2. The task you now face
is to address the problem of abuse…with courage and determination. No one
imagines that this painful situation will be resolved swiftly… Perseverance and
prayer are needed, with great trust in the healing power of God’s grace… the
Church in
3. Historically, the
Catholics of Ireland have proved an enormous force for good at home and abroad.
4. We must try to
understand the disturbing problem of child sexual abuse… among the contributing
factors we can include: inadequate procedures for determining the suitability of
candidates for the priesthood and the religious life; insufficient human, moral,
intellectual and spiritual formation in seminaries and novitiates; a tendency in
society to favour the clergy and other authority figures; and a misplaced
concern for the reputation of the Church and the avoidance of scandal, resulting
in failure to apply existing canonical penalties and to safeguard the dignity of
every person.
5. On several occasions
since my election to the See of Peter, I have met with victims of sexual abuse,
as indeed I am ready to do in the future.
6. To the victims of abuse and their families
You have suffered
grievously and I am truly sorry. I know that nothing can undo the wrong you have
endured. Your trust has been betrayed and your dignity has been violated. … It
is understandable that you find it hard to forgive or be reconciled with the
Church. In her name, I openly express the shame and remorse that we all feel… At
the same time, I ask you not to lose hope. It is in the communion of the Church
that we encounter the person of Jesus Christ… Like you, he still bears the
wounds of his own unjust suffering. He understands the depths of your pain and
its enduring effect upon your lives and your relationships, including your
relationship with the Church. I know some of you find it difficult even to enter
the doors of a church after all that has occurred… I believe deeply in the
healing power of his (Christ’s) self-sacrificing love – even in the darkest and
most hopeless situations – to bring liberation and the promise of a new
beginning…. I pray that, by drawing nearer to Christ and by participating in the
life of his Church – a Church purified by penance and renewed in pastoral
charity – you will come to rediscover Christ’s infinite love for each one of
you. I am confident that in this way you will be able to find reconciliation,
deep inner healing and peace.
7. To priests and religious who have abused children
You betrayed the trust
that was placed in you by innocent young people and their parents, and you must
answer for it before Almighty God and before properly constituted tribunals. You
have forfeited the esteem of the people of
8. To parents
You have been deeply
shocked to learn of the terrible things that took place in what ought to be the
safest and most secure environment of all. In today’s world it is not easy to
build a home and to bring up children. They deserve to grow up in security,
loved and cherished, with a strong sense of their identity and worth. They have
a right to be educated in authentic moral values rooted in the dignity of the
human person, to be inspired by the truth of our Catholic faith and to learn
ways of behaving and acting that lead to healthy self-esteem and lasting
happiness. This noble but demanding task is entrusted in the first place to you,
their parents.
9. To the children and young people of
I wish to offer you a
particular word of encouragement… We are all scandalized by the sins and
failures of some of the Church's members… But it is in the Church that
you will find Jesus Christ, who is the same yesterday, today and for ever (cf.
Heb 13:8). He loves you and he has offered himself on the cross for you.
Seek a personal relationship with him within the communion of his Church, for he
will never betray your trust! He alone can satisfy your deepest longings and
give your lives their fullest meaning by directing them to the service of
others. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and his goodness, and shelter the flame of
faith in your heart. ….I look to you to be faithful disciples of our Lord and to
bring your much-needed enthusiasm and idealism to the rebuilding and renewal of
our beloved Church.
10. To the priests and religious of
… many of you feel
personally discouraged, even abandoned. I am also aware that in some people’s
eyes you are tainted by association, and viewed as if you were somehow
responsible for the misdeeds of others. At this painful time, I want to
acknowledge the dedication of your priestly and religious lives and apostolates,
and I invite you to reaffirm your faith in Christ...
11. To my brother bishops
It must be admitted that
grave errors of judgement were made and failures of leadership occurred. All
this has seriously undermined your credibility and effectiveness… Besides fully
implementing the norms of canon law in addressing cases of child abuse, continue
to cooperate with the civil authorities in their area of competence… Only
decisive action carried out with complete honesty and transparency will restore
the respect and good will of the Irish people towards the Church to which we
have consecrated our lives…. I ask you to be attentive to the spiritual and
moral lives of each one of your priests… The lay faithful, too, should be
encouraged to play their proper part in the life of the Church…
12. To all the faithful of
In our increasingly
secularized society… we need to find new ways to pass on to young people the
beauty and richness of friendship with Jesus Christ in the communion of his
Church… a new vision is needed, to inspire present and future generations to
treasure the gift of our common faith…
13. In solidarity with all
of you, I am praying earnestly that, by God’s grace, the wounds afflicting so
many individuals and families may be healed and that the Church in
14. I now wish to propose
to you some concrete initiatives to address the situation… I now invite all of
you to devote your Friday penances, for a period of one year, between now and
Easter 2011, to this intention… I ask you to offer up your fasting, your prayer,
your reading of Scripture and your works of mercy in order to obtain the grace
of healing and renewal for the Church in
Particular attention
should also be given to Eucharistic adoration…Through intense prayer before the
real presence of the Lord, you can make reparation for the sins of abuse that
have done so much harm…
I intend to hold an
Apostolic Visitation of certain dioceses in
I take this opportunity to
thank … the many men and women throughout
I wish to conclude this
Letter with a special Prayer for the Church in Ireland which I send to
you with the care of a father for his children and with the affection of a
fellow Christian, scandalized and hurt by what has occurred in our beloved
Church. …
I cordially impart to all
of you my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of strength and peace in the Lord.