Irish Bishops Welcome Vatican Statement on Abuse

(March 11, 2010) As the bishops of Ireland continue confronting the scandal of priests` sexual abuse of minors, they welcomed the Vatican’s Tuesday statement on the issue. The Irish Episcopal conference reported Wednesday on the conclusions of their spring general meeting. Among the many issues on the programme, the prominent topic was that of abuse. The prelates recalled their meeting last month with Pope Benedict XVI saying it "allowed for a high level of information sharing and discussion around the forthcoming pastoral letter by the Holy Father to the faithful in Ireland." Referring to the Vatican’s statement on the scandals, the bishops said they welcomed "its timely publication and specifically its reference concerning survivors of abuse that `the correct starting point is recognition of what happened and concern for the victims and the consequences of the acts committed against them` and also that the Church exists as part of civil society and shoulders her own responsibilities in society." The Irish prelates clarified: "It was made clear to the bishops in Rome that the 2001 Letter entitled “On Grave Crimes”, in no way precluded Church authorities from their civil obligations especially in regards to reporting and cooperating fully with the civil authorities. This important matter has been consistently misrepresented in some quarters."