‘Ashamed and repentant’ Church to invite victims for talks

CATHOLIC bishops have said they will invite survivors of abuse in religious-run institutions to talks to see how best they can offer help.

They also asked for forgiveness for what they described as the “heinous crimes” and “vile acts” chronicled in the Ryan Report.

“The Ryan Report represents the most recent disturbing indictment of a culture that was prevalent in the Catholic Church in Ireland for far too long,” they said. “Heinous crimes were perpetrated against the most innocent and vulnerable, and vile acts with life-lasting effects were carried out under the guise of the mission of Jesus Christ.

“This abuse represents a serious betrayal of the trust which was placed in the Church. For this we ask forgiveness.

“We are ashamed, humbled and repentant that our people strayed so far from their Christian ideals.”

Their reaction came in a joint statement at the annual summer meeting of the Irish Bishops’ Conference in Maynooth where the Ryan Report topped the agenda.

They asked for time to reflect on its detail but said their initial reaction was one of heavy sadness at the suffering of so many for so long.

“We wish to invite survivors to engage with us to see how we can assist those who have been abused,” they said, adding a request that the whole Church community pray for the well being and peace of mind for all who suffered.

The bishops also discussed the role of the Catholic Church in primary schools following calls since the Ryan Report for them to withdraw from education.

They stressed that schools operated under and were accountable to state law, not canon law, and that standards were set by the Department of Education not by any individual school patron such as a Catholic bishop.

“There is no ambiguity on this important issue. The state’s child protection standards apply to all schools and they require that each school have its own designated liaison person to receive and report complaints. That person must be a member of the school staff. Because of these standards and procedures, primary schools are very safe and supportive environments for children.”