Pope to Jesuits in Ireland: Do
what you must to heal the wounds of abuse
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| Pope francis meets fellow Jesuits in Ireland during WMF. |
Details of Pope Francis’ meeting with fellow Jesuits in
Dublin last month are now available on La Civiltà Cattolica website. According
to the transcript, the Pope speaks directly to the drama of clerical sex abuse
and gives indications on how to move forward.
By Linda Bordoni
Pope Francis’ private encounter with the Jesuit
Community of Ireland came on the heels of his meeting earlier that
evening (Saturday August 25th) with eight survivors of sex
abuse. He told his brother Jesuits that what he had heard “touched” him deeply.
Then he asked those present to help him, and the Church in Ireland, “to put an
end to this”.
“And what do I mean by put an end to it? I don’t
mean simply turn the page, but seek out a cure, reparation, all that is
necessary to heal the wounds and give life back to so many people. The letter I
wrote recently to the people of God speaks of shame for the abuses. I wish to
repeat it here and share it with you today” he said.
Affirming that he understands with clarity the drama of
clerical sexual abuse, he said it is linked to a Church that is marked by
élitism and clericalism and consequently to its inability to be
close to the people of God:
“There is something I have understood with great clarity:
this drama of abuse, especially when it is widespread and gives great scandal –
think of Chile, here in Ireland or in the United States – has behind it a
Church that is elitist and clericalist, an inability to be near to the people
of God. Elitism, clericalism fosters every form of abuse. And sexual abuse is
not the first. The first abuse is of power and conscience. I ask you to help
with this. Courage! Be courageous! I really was unable to believe the stories
that I have seen well documented. I heard them now in the other room and was
deeply upset. This is a special mission for you: clean this up, change
consciences, do not be afraid to call things by their name” he said.
Pope Francis also answered questions put to him directly by
those present. To the question “what can be done concretely against the
abuses?” he affirmed that all priests are called to denounce the cases they
know about.
He also said he believes that sexual abuse is the
consequence of the abuse of power and of conscience and he decried an
authoritarian attitude that exists within the Church, also amongst bishops and
religious superiors. Commenting on how “we all know an authoritarian bishop”,
he expressed the need to defeat authoritarianism and clericalism and
“rediscover the obedience of the sending in mission”.
During his meeting the Pope also spoke of freedom,
discernment and fruitfulness, as well as the topic of vocations and of how he “keeps
his heart happy with all that is happening to him”.
A full
transcript of the Pope’s words was published on Thursday by the
Rome-based “La Civiltà Cattolica” directed by Antonio Spadaro SJ who was
present during that meeting.
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