Bishops ask for forgiveness in wake of report

THE country’s bishops last night asked for forgiveness following the publication of the Murphy report and admitted to being shamed “by the extent to which child abuse was covered up” in the Dublin Archdiocese.

They also said they recognised that the report and its findings “indicates a culture that was widespread in the Church”.

The country’s 26 bishops and seven auxiliary bishops also announced that they will ask the Catholic Church’s National Board for Safeguarding Children to examine their current child protection policies

The bishop’s made this “initial response” to the report following their winter conference meeting in Maynooth yesterday at which they suspended all normal business to discuss the report’s contents. The meeting will continue today.

In a statement issued last evening, the bishops once again apologised to all those who were abused by priests as children.

“We, as bishops, apologise to all those who were abused by priests as children, their families and to all people who feel rightly outraged and let down by the failure of moral leadership and accountability that emerges from the report,” the statement said.