Building atonement

ATONEMENT is one of the most powerful ideas — it requires honesty, forgiveness, generosity, and above all, great courage and humility. 

It is one of those states more easily spoken about than realised — as this month’s vote in Colombia to reject the peace between the government and the Farc rebels showed. The continuing — and escalating — tensions between the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Féin about how best to advance some sort of reconciliation process in the North also underlines the depth of challenge involved.

Nevertheless, the recognition by Catholic Archbishop Eamon Martin, when he spoke at his Church’s National Board’s Safeguarding Conference in Tullamore, Co Offaly, that atonement is a never-ending task is welcome. He announced a response to a request from Pope Francis and that a day of prayer for survivors of abuse will take place on the first Friday of Lent next year. Some of the many, many victims of clerical abuse might prefer a more concrete, a more practical gesture, but anything that works towards forgiveness and, hopefully, peace for vitims is very welcome.