The Association of Catholic Priests in Ireland issued a very strongly worded statement calling on Ireland’s archbishops and bishops of the priests concerned, “to publicly repudiate this report in the strongest possible terms and to support the priests involved in seeking to restore their reputations”. The Association says Dolan’s report had “effectively destroyed the reputations Read more
Pope Benedict XVI told Irish Catholics on Sunday it is a mystery why priests and other church officials abused children entrusted in their care, undermining faith in the church “in an appalling way.” By describing the decades of child abuse in Catholic parishes, schools and church-run institutions and parishes in Ireland as a “mystery,” the Read more
As the plainchant of “Tantum Ergo” drew the eucharistic procession to a close, the presiding prelates began to filter away. That’s when some trip hop music erupted at the back of the massive assembly of pilgrims, which moments before had been on its knees in prayer and adoration. The flash mob was really a very Read more
Ireland’s Cardinal Sean Brady Friday asked God for forgiveness for the times when “we as individuals and as a church” failed to seek out and care for children suffering abuse. In an open-air Mass in heavy rain at the International Eucharistic Congress, Brady said it was a matter of deep shame that the needs of Read more
An envoy for Pope Benedict has apologized in person to child victims of sexual abuse by Roman Catholic priests, a gesture that highlights the Vatican’s concerns over its deteriorating status in Ireland. Senior Vatican Cardinal Marc Ouellet travelled to the island of Lough Derg, in a remote corner of Ireland, on Tuesday to speak with Read more
The International Eucharistic Congress opened in Ireland on Sunday, with the Archbishop of Dublin, mindful of the scandal which is rocking the previous bastion of Catholicism. Martin was mixed in his remarks. He spoke with deep regret and sorrow for the past but held out hope for the future, saying the Church is on the Read more
Former Ireland president Mary McAleese has called on the papal nuncio to show more leniency to priests who speak on controversial matters. McAleese told the Vatican’s Ireland representative, Archbishop Charles Brown, that the priests were held in high esteem by the public. The remarks were reportedly made during a lunch with the Papal Nuncio last month, Read more
Ireland’s Catholic Church, host of the International Eucharistic Congress, has suffered a dramatic loss of credibility in recent years, but also shows signs of renewal after a decade of turbulence. While a recent survey by the Association of Catholic Priests found that weekly Mass attendance throughout the country is one of the highest in Europe Read more
Organisers had initially expected 200 to turn up at the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) meeting in Dublin this month. In fact over 1000 showed up. The size of the crowd in part was a response to the recent silencing of Irish priests. One of those silenced, Fr Tony Flannery, was part of the leadership Read more
An Irish Catholic lay group held a silent vigil last night in front of the Holy See’s Nunciature in Dublin, to protest the Vatican’s censuring of priests. The group, several of whom wore yellow and white Vatican coloured gags handed a letter at the gates asking the Vatican to revoke these disciplinary measures and replace Read more