Vatican City, Feb 16, 2010 / 12:03 pm
At the conclusion of meetings between Pope Benedict XVI, 24 Irish bishops and senior members of the Roman Curia, the Vatican released a general statement describing the nature of the discussions. The Holy Father cited a lack of respect for the human person and a weakening of faith within the Irish Church as significantly contributing to the sexual abuse of minors.
The meetings, which took place on Monday and Tuesday, addressed the "serious situation" in the Irish Catholic Church revealed by the Ryan and Murphy reports. The reports documented sexual abuse of minors by clergy and the efforts to cover up the abuse by some of the Church's hierarchy.
The failure of Church authorities to act effectively in dealing with the situation was examined in the meetings, and participants in the discussions unanimously agreed that "this grave crisis has led to a breakdown in trust in the Church’s leadership and has damaged her witness to the Gospel and its moral teaching."
Each of the 24 bishops was given the floor to express his individual concerns and hear feedback from the Holy Father and the members of the Roman Curia. Bishops said in a press conference later that this gave the discussions a "synod-like” feel.