The Bishops Respond

The members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference had grave business before them yesterday at their extraordinary general meeting…

The members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference had grave business before them yesterday at their extraordinary general meeting at Maynooth.

Even the least aware of them must understand now that their church is facing nothing less than the greatest institutional crisis in its modern history.

The bishops' statement after the conference, read by Archbishop Sean Brady, confirmed the decision to establish an independent audit of clerical sex abuse and the responses to it throughout the country. The Archbishop expressed the church's deepest apologies to victims and spoke of the church's great pain and shame.

He stressed that yesterday was but the first stage of a process, saying that the Conference did not have "all the answers" at this time.

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Neither Archbishop Brady nor Cardinal Connell is the most natural of media performers. But even allowing for this, it was not an altogether reassuring start. There was no indication of what is meant by an "independent audit." Contrary to expectations, no information was forthcoming on its terms of reference or what sort of person will conduct it.

The Archbishop had to be pinned down in a series of questions from journalists before he seemed to confirm that the church will make files available to the State inquiry being undertaken by Mr George Birmingham SC.

The dam-burst of anger over events in the Diocese of Ferns which swept Bishop Brendan Comiskey from office has not abated. Neither has the anger which is sweeping the United States and elsewhere as terrible deeds are uncovered and the responses from the church are found wanting.

Powerful images of adult men and women, still bearing scars and suffering pain, decades after they were subjected to abuse, have filled the airwaves and the newspapers. Another victim, in tears, confronted the bishops yesterday as they made their way to their meeting. Only hearts of stone could be unmoved. Probably no senior churchman has remained unmoved. But so clumsy, so guarded and so apparently self-serving have been so many of the responses - where there has been any at all - that insult has, literally, been added to injury. It adds to the pain of victims.

And it ill-serves the overwhelming majority of religious and clerics who have dedicated their lives to the service of God and humanity with integrity, generosity and goodness.