Apostolic visitation ‘falls short of addressing problems’

POPE BENEDICT’S plans to send an “apostolic visitation” to Ireland shows he has failed to acknowledge the inability of secret Church procedures to address clerical sex abuse, a survivor has said.

In his pastoral letter, the Pope wrote that he is to organise a group of senior figures to examine whether Church doctrine is being followed. Pope Benedict wrote that the move, to focus on dioceses mired in sex abuse and interviewing bishops, is necessary to prevent a repeat of the crisis and to ensure all Church figures have the same view on doctrinal issues.

However, abuse survivor Colm O’Gorman said the measure fell short of what is required by Church figures to address the problems which allowed the abuse to occur.