Pope admits trust breakdown but no abuse apology

POPE Benedict has admitted clerical child sex abuse in Ireland had led to a breakdown in trust in the Church’s leadership but he failed to issue an apology.

In a statement released following the conclusion of two days of meetings with Irish bishops, the Pontiff did not issue an explicit apology but asked this Lenten period be set aside as a time for “imploring an outpouring of God’s mercy”. This infuriated victims’ groups, with Christine Buckley of the Aisling Centre describing the meeting between the Pope and the bishops as “a charade”.

The One in Four group said the meeting and subsequent statement was “very disappointing”, particularly as the Pope has offered no explanation for the failure of the Vatican and the papal nuncio to cooperate with the Murphy Commission. The statement from the Vatican, which appears to have done little to quell anger at the Church over the abuse perpetrated by clergy members and covered up by members of the Church hierarchy, recognised the “grave crisis” that has “led to a breakdown in trust in the Church’s leadership and has damaged her witness to the Gospel and its moral teaching”. He also cited “the failure of the Irish Church authorities for years to act effectively over cases of sexual abuse against young people”.