Today is a very historic day for the Catholics of Ireland.

Pope Benedict has written a pastoral letter to express his closeness to us at this challenging time. He says ‘with words that come from my heart... I wish to speak to each of you individually and to all of you as brothers and sisters in the Lord’. He speaks of the wounds inflicted on Christ’s body by child sexual abuse and of the sometimes painful remedies needed to bind and heal them. He talks of the need for unity, charity and mutual support in the long-term process of restoration and renewal.

I welcome this letter. I am deeply grateful to the Holy Father for his profound kindness and concern.

It is evident from the Pastoral Letter that Pope Benedict is deeply dismayed by what he refers to as ‘sinful and criminal acts and the way the Church authorities in Ireland dealt with them.‘

He says the Church in Ireland must acknowledge before the Lord and others the serious sins committed against defenceless children.

Read it all.

Filed under: * Culture-Watch • Children • * International News & Commentary • England / UK • --Ireland • * Religion News & Commentary • Other Churches • Roman Catholic • * Theology • Ethics / Moral Theology • Pastoral Theology

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