Pastoral Letter to the Catholics of Ireland
The letter in which Benedict XVI addressed the abuse of children by priests and religious in Ireland, speaking in turn to victims, abusers, parents, the young, clergy and bishops, and announced an apostolic visitation.
Benedict XVI wrote the letter after calling the Irish bishops to Rome to account for their handling of abuse cases. It has fourteen numbered sections. Sections 6 to 12 are addressed to particular groups: victims and their families, priests and religious who abused children, parents, children and young people, the priests and religious of Ireland, the bishops, and all the faithful.
It is the pope’s own statement and shows how he understood the causes, among which he lists a misplaced concern for the church’s reputation. It is a pastoral letter and makes no findings of fact about particular cases.
Cited in
- 6 January 2002, firm date