Forgive ‘mistakes’ of abuser priests, urges Church group

Priests who abused children should be forgiven for past “mistakes” and allowed return to ministries where they have authority over minors, a Catholic Church group has claimed.

The stance, which has sparked a backlash from abuse survivors who said nothing has been learned from recent scandals, was made by the Association of Catholic Priests after child protection watchdog talks. Speaking after meeting with the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI) on Wednesday, the association said it is wrong to block priests who have “made a mistake or mistakes in their earlier life” from returning to the altar.

And while the move contradicts basic child protection standards, the group claimed priests who show “no pattern of re-offending” must be given “mercy”.