Madam, – Now that other reactions have trodden familiar ground, could I suggest we focus on the “weakening of faith” reference in our Pope’s response to Irish sex abuse? In all religions the faith of both clergy and laity is sustained most of all by preaching.
It is self-evident that Irish Catholic preaching has sustained poorly for the past 42 years, despite the large audiences at Masses for most of that period. Sex abuse of all kinds is but a tiny percentage of the negative effects.
That fact is, I suggest, what we should now address.
– Yours, etc,