Madam, – The Pope’s spokesman, Rev Federico Lombardi, admitted that the issue of bishops’ resignations was not on the agenda of the meeting with the Irish bishops. I had hoped that it would have been.
The Pope admits, in his press statement, that “the failure of Irish Church authorities for many years to act effectively” stands “at the heart of the crisis”, but the main concern is that “this grave crisis has led to a breakdown in trust in the church’s leadership.” We should not be surprised. Cardinal Bernard Law was forced to resign in disgrace from the Boston Archdiocese in December, 2002, in response to his covering up of sex abuse scandals. Pope John Paul II then appointed him Archpriest in charge of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, one of the four papal basilicas in Rome. This should be a clear indication of how popes value the hierarchy vis-a-vis the faithful. We count for nothing.
I am, and will remain, a convinced Christian and a member of the Catholic Church in Ireland. But I am sickened by the callous hypocrisy of successive popes.
The Roman Catholic Church is rotten at the core and it is only the few heroic bishops, the many priests and religious and the confused faithful who will save it from disintegration.
– Yours, etc,
Madam, – I would like to bring to the attention of the Pope, his cardinals and his bishops, that assault and buggery is not only a heinous sin, it is also a heinous crime, punishable by imprisonment.
– Yours, etc,
Madam, – The Front page (February 16th) shows a photograph of Pope Benedict watching as an Irish bishop, having travelled to Rome, bows to kiss his ring.
Alongside this photograph we can read Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone’s suggestion that only “an authentic and sincere humility” could lead to a true renewal in the Irish (Catholic) church. The Pope chose to address the problems in the church by summoning the Irish bishops to Rome to talk about “the trials for the church”.
There could have been another way. The Pope would come to Ireland, simply and without ceremony, on a scheduled flight. Nobody would trouble him because they wouldn’t recognise him. He would be wearing sackcloth and ashes, and his eyes would be full of tears.
– Yours, etc,
RUTH CHIPPERFIELD
Rathfarnham
Dublin.
A chara, – The statement issued by the Vatican (Front page and Home News, February 17th) is unfortunately what most of us expected – bland generic statements on the atrocities, pious platitudes and inaction.
I suggest the Irish media, including The Irish Timesand RTÉ, on behalf of the Irish people, seek live interviews with the Pope, to establish what actions and reform (if any) are planned by the Vatican to underpin this statement. If this does not happen, our Government needs to critically review our diplomatic representation with the Vatican.
– Yours, etc,
Madam, – I’m not sure Jim Molloy (February 17th) gets it. He seems to think that Archbishop Diarmuid Martin is chasing public opinion by acting “abominably”.
Perhaps Archbishop Martin is trying to get away from the model of protecting the institutional church that Mr Molloy seems to be implicitly supporting and that has evidently caused such damage.
– Yours, etc,
LUKE CAHILL
Stillorgan Road
Dublin 18.