Pope shares 'pain and shame' at Church's failings over Irish abuse during historic visit
The Catholic Church's failure to address sex abuse is a "source of pain and shame", the Pope has told an audience in Ireland.
Beginning a two-day visit to the country on Saturday, Pope Francis said he "cannot fail to acknowledge" the "grave scandal" that abuse by Catholic priests had caused, describing it as a “scourge in the Church”.
He said the "failure" of religious leaders including bishops to address the "repellent crimes" had "rightly given rise to outrage".
His comments came after Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar called on him to implement a "zero tolerance" approach to abusers and those who participated in cover-ups. "We must now ensure that from words flow actions," he said.
He said Irish scandals including Magdalene Laundries, industrial schools, mother and baby homes, illegal adoptions, and clerical abuse were "stains on our State, our society, and also the Catholic Church".
Failures had "created a bitter and broken heritage for so many, leaving a legacy of pain and suffering", he said, adding that survivors were “kept in dark corners, behind closed doors”.
His words echoed the calls of victims' and survivors' groups, who criticised a Pontifical letter issued on Monday for failing to include concrete provisions to bring abusers to justice.
Campaigners say the Vatican knows the identity of senior figures who have aided abusers by moving them to different areas and failing to report them to police, but has not taken action against them.
The Pope also met with victims and survivors of abuse on Saturday in a private event, and then addressed more than 80,000 people at Dublin's Croke Park stadium for the Festival of Families.
The concert-type event was held to mark the end of the World Meeting of Families 2018, including performances by Andrea Bocelli, The Riverdance Troupe, Nathan Carter, Dana Masters and Daniel O'Donnell.
Pope Francis delivered an address and heard five testimonies by families from Ireland, Canada, India, Iraq, and Africa about the importance of family in the modern age.
Earlier, as he left Dublin Castle to drive through the city in a blue Skoda the Pope was greeted by a group of advocates holding a banner calling for redress for victims.
Other placards urged him not to forget abuse survivors. His visit has drawn comparisons to an earlier visit by Pope John Paul II in 1979, at which 2.7m people greeted him and more than a million attended a Mass in the city’s Phoenix Park.
The figures for this year’s event are not yet know, but the pavement behind the barriers outside the castle was not full and many of those watching were there to protest.
However, crowds later packed the streets in areas such as Dame Street, with supporters cheering and waving flags, as he processed through in the "Pope-mobile".
On Sunday he will conduct a papal mass in the same location, with half a million expected to attend. A Facebook group, Say Nope to the Pope, which has 6,300 members, has prompted some to obtain a free ticket with no intention of going, as a gesture of protest against a series of issues including the church’s involvement in Irish politics and stances on LGBT and women’s equality.
The weather could also lead some to stay away, with heavy rain predicted to fall all morning. On Saturday afternoon he attended a meeting at St Mary's Pro Cathedral attended by 370 couples who were either newlywed or recently married.
He remained with his head bowed for several minutes in front of the candle of innocence, which has been burning in the cathedral since 2011 as an acknowledgment of the suffering caused to survivors of abuse.
In his speeches the Pope also hinted at the recent referendum in which the Irish voted overwhelmingly to repeal the Eighth Amendment, paving the way for widely legalised abortion.
Speaking at Dublin Castle, he suggested that “the growth of a materialistic ‘throwaway culture’ has in fact made us increasingly indifferent to the poor and to the most vulnerable members of our human family, including the unborn, deprived of the very right to life?”
Later, at the cathedral, he added: “The world tells us to be strong and independent, with little care for those who are alone and sad, rejected or sick, not yet born or dying”.
However, his counsel for the couples also included some levity.
Looking at the congregation compromising hundreds of young couples he questioned those that claimed people no longer wanted to get married. "Getting married and sharing your lives is a beautiful thing," he told them.
He said older people had great wisdom, then joked: "Even the mothers-in-law, even they are wise."
Outside the service, couples expressed hope that the Pope could bring about change.
Katie Boland, 30, and her husband Oisin, 32, from Dublin, who married in June, acknowledged that Ireland was less religious that it used to be.
"That's the reality. Maybe things will change going forward," said Mrs Boland, "if his messages are more modern and connect to people now".
Belinda Maguire and Paul Friel, from Donegal, both 26, who are marrying in 2020, said they thought people in their parish were still devout.
"We were both brought up in a Catholic family so I've never noticed any difference to be honest," said Ms Maguire.
"To come here today was just an honour, to see him in person and everything."
