Pope meets Ireland’s bishops
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| Pope Francis meeting Ireland's bishops at the Dominican Sistera Convent in Dublin, August 26, 2018. (Vatican Media) |
Pope Francis urged the bishops of Ireland to “discern and
set out on new paths for these new times” in the Church’s concern for the poor,
the victims of abuse and in handing down the faith.
By Robin Gomes
Before flying back to Rome from the World Meeting of
Families in Dublin, in Ireland, Pope Francis met members of the Irish Catholic
Bishops’ Conference (ICBC) in the Convent of the Dominican Sisters.
Concern for poor
By way of his parting words the Pope encouraged the bishops’ in
their efforts, in these challenging times, to persevere in their ministry as
heralds of the Gospel and shepherds of Christ’s flock. He thanked them
for their concern for the poor, the excluded and the needy as evident in their
recently pastoral letter on the homeless and on substance abuse. He also
thanked them for the support they give their priests whose hurt and
discouragement in the face of recent scandals is often ignored or
underestimated
Protecting the vulnerable
The Holy Father then focused his attention on the “Church’s
need to acknowledge and remedy, with evangelical honesty and courage, past
failures with regard to the protection of children and vulnerable
adults.”
He noted that the bishops have “resolutely moved forward,
not only by undertaking paths of purification and reconciliation with victims
of abuse, but also, with the help of the National Board for
Safeguarding Children in the Church in Ireland, by establishing a stringent
set of norms aimed at ensuring the safety of young persons.”
“In these years,” the Pope said, “all of us have had our
eyes opened to the gravity and extent of sexual abuse in
various social settings.” “In Ireland, as elsewhere, the honesty
and integrity with which the Church chooses to confront this painful chapter of
her history can offer an example and a warning to society as a whole,” the Pope
said.
Transmitting faith
Pope Francis then spoke about the importance of transmitting
the faith in its integrity and beauty in the context of
Ireland’s rapidly evolving society. The Pope said, the World
Meeting of Families has given great hope and encouragement that families are
growing more and more conscious of their own irreplaceable role in passing on
the faith.
Catholic schools and programmes of religious
instruction also play an indispensable role in creating a culture of
faith and a sense of missionary discipleship. Genuine religious
formation, the Holy Father pointed out, needs joyful teachers who
can shape not only minds but also hearts in the love of Christ and in the
practice of prayer.
New paths
The Pope commended the strong faith of the Irish people in
withstanding the upheavals of recent years and offering an opportunity for an
interior renewal of the Church. In conclusion, the Holy Father wished that the
bishops, with humility and trust in God’s grace, be able to “discern and
set out on new paths for these new times”.
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