The BBC reports:
Pope Francis has said he is ashamed of the Catholic Church’s failure to adequately address the “repellent crimes” of sex abuse by clergy. The Pope was addressing political leaders and diplomats at Dublin Castle during the first papal visit to the Republic of Ireland for 40 years. He is expected to meet victims of clerical sex abuse later on Saturday. The visit coincides with the World Meeting of Families – a global Catholic gathering held every three years.
“I cannot fail to acknowledge the grave scandal caused in Ireland by the abuse of young people by members of the Church charged with responsibility for their protection and education,” he told the Dublin Castle audience. “The failure of ecclesiastical authorities – bishops, religious superiors, priests and others – adequately to address these repellent crimes has rightly given rise to outrage, and remains a source of pain and shame for the Catholic community. “I myself share those sentiments.”
Ireland’s RTE reports:
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has appealed to Pope Francis to use his “office and influence” to ensure abuse survivors receive “justice, truth and healing.” In a speech in front of the Pontiff during a State reception at Dublin Castle, Mr Varadkar said the past treatment of many women and young people by the Catholic Church and the State had left a history of “sorrow and shame.”
During his speech, the Pope said he shared the “pain and shame of the Catholic community” to tackle the “grave scandal” of clerical abuse. Senior clerics and other dignitaries greeted the Pope, including Papal Nuncio Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland Eamon Martin, and Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin. He was also welcomed by Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney, his wife Ruth and their three daughters Jessica, Beth and Annalise.
Wounds are still open & there is much to be done to bring about justice &truth &healing for victims & survivors. Today I asked the Pope to use his office & influence to ensure this is done here in Ireland and across the World. Above all, I asked him to listen to victims. pic.twitter.com/YnnITpLapr
— Leo Varadkar (@campaignforleo) August 25, 2018
As the Pope arrives in Dublin #LGBT people have sent a powerful message by decorating one of the city’s most famous landmarks, the Ha’penny Bridge, in rainbow flags. ?️???
A powerful sign of how much Ireland has changed in just a few years. #PopeInIreland #hapennybridge pic.twitter.com/4mHxtjsb9r
— Scott Cuthbertson (@ScotCuthbertson) August 25, 2018
Leo Varadkar has told the Pope ‘that the Ireland of the 21st century is a very different place today than it was in the past.’ #PopeInIreland https://t.co/D1yWebOImg pic.twitter.com/fSvH3ngLkq
— UTV Live News (@UTVNews) August 25, 2018
An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar welcomes Pope Francis to Ireland now on #RTEOne pic.twitter.com/fJRxqiinVn
— RTE One (@RTEOne) August 25, 2018
Papal visit latest: Pope speaks of ‘pain and shame’ in failure to tackle clerical abuse in Ireland https://t.co/0cVgrW4pFx pic.twitter.com/hkmdyvHq5d
— Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) August 25, 2018
‘We’re saying welcome to Pope Francis… but there is a BUT’ Colm Holmes of We Are Church Ireland leading a demonstration on Ha Penny Bridge to coincide with the pontiff’s arrival in Dublin #PopeInIreland pic.twitter.com/jCPfhF7Niw
— Daragh Brophy (@DaraghBroph) August 25, 2018
Pope Francis says he shares the pain and shame of the Catholic community at what he called the “grave scandal” of clerical abuse in Ireland
Follow live reporting: https://t.co/Y43EdhzsNI #PopeInIreland pic.twitter.com/10OlfLLMSS
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) August 25, 2018