杏MAP导航

杏MAP导航 celebrates Mass at Phoenix Park in Dublin 杏MAP导航 celebrates Mass at Phoenix Park in Dublin 

杏MAP导航 in Ireland asks forgiveness for a litany of abuses

In an unprecedented gesture during the closing Mass for the World Meeting of Families in Dublin鈥檚 Phoenix Park, 杏MAP导航 Francis asks pardon for a litany of abuses committed by some members of the Church against men, women, and children in Ireland.

By Vatican News

The 杏MAP导航鈥檚 gesture was both unprecedented and unexpected. It came at the start of the Penitential Rite, the moment during Mass when the celebrant and faithful acknowledge their sins, repent and pray for mercy and forgiveness.

Speaking in Spanish, 杏MAP导航 Francis asked pardon for a list of abuses committed by some members of the Church in Ireland. He began by referencing his meeting on Saturday evening with eight abuse survivors and, on the basis of what they told him, said he wanted to 鈥減lace before the mercy of the Lord these crimes, and ask forgiveness for them鈥.

Listen to our report

杏MAP导航 Francis began by asking pardon for what he called 鈥渁buses of power, conscience and sexual abuse, perpetrated by members with roles of responsibility in the Church鈥. He asked forgiveness specifically for 鈥渢hose cases of exploitation through manual work that so many women and men were subjected to鈥, on the part of 鈥渧arious types of institutions run by male or female religious and by other members of the Church鈥.

The 杏MAP导航鈥檚 second appeal for pardon was for all the times the Church has failed to 鈥渟how compassion to survivors, and for not seeking justice and truth through concrete actions鈥.

Similarly, he asked forgiveness 鈥渇or some members of the Church鈥檚 hierarchy who did not take charge of these painful situations and kept quiet鈥.

The 杏MAP导航鈥檚 final prayer referred to the so-called 鈥淢other and Baby鈥 homes for unwed mothers and their children. Infants born there were sometimes put up for adoption without the mother鈥檚 consent. Some women were told it would be a 鈥渕ortal sin鈥 if they tried to reunite with their children.

鈥淲e ask forgiveness鈥, prayed 杏MAP导航 Francis, 鈥渇or all those times when many single mothers were told that to seek their children who had been separated from them, and the same being said to daughters and sons themselves, that this was a mortal sin. This is not a mortal sin鈥, the 杏MAP导航 insisted.

Each request for forgiveness was met by applause from the 300,000 strong congregation standing in the rain in Dublin鈥檚 Phoenix Park.

Below please find the text issued by the Holy See's Press Office.

Yesterday, I met with eight survivors who have suffered abuse of power, of conscience and sexual abuse. Taking up on what they said to me, I want to place before the mercy of the Lord these crimes and ask forgiveness for them.

We ask forgiveness for the abuses in Ireland, abuses of power, of conscience and sexual abuse perpetrated by members with roles of responsibility in the Church. In a special way, we ask pardon for all the abuses committed in various types of institutions run by male or female religious and by other members of the Church. Furthermore, we ask forgiveness for the cases of exploitation through manual work that so many minors were inflicted.

We ask forgiveness for the times that as a Church we did not show survivors of all kinds of abuse: compassion and the search for justice and truth through concrete actions. We ask forgiveness.

We ask forgiveness for some members of the Church鈥檚 hierarchy who did not take charge of these painful situations and kept quiet. We ask forgiveness.

We ask forgiveness for the children who were taken away from their moms and for all those times when many single mothers were told that to seek their children who had been separated from them 鈥 and the same was told to their daughters and sons who were looking for their mothers 鈥 that this was a mortal sin. This is not a mortal sin but the Fourth Commandment. We ask forgiveness.

Lord, sustain and increase this state of shame and repentance and give us the strength to commit ourselves so that these things never happen again and justice may be done. Amen.

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26 August 2018, 16:53