VOTF Ireland Visits the US

The clergy abuse crisis in Ireland is dire. Our Irish brothers and sisters have faced the disturbing facts from both the Murphy and Ryan Reports describing the deep-seated abuse in the Dublin archdiocese and Irish Catholic institutions respectively. Two of their bishops have resigned. The leader of the Dublin archdiocese, Diarmuid Martin, has spoken out against the cover-up. Yet even while Archbishop Martin calls for change, Pope Benedict has rejected the resignation of two auxiliary bishops in Dublin who participated in the transfers of priest abusers.  

Sean O’Conaill told the people in both Winchester and Weymouth that despite all of the negativity surrounding the Catholic Church in Ireland, he is seeing signs of hope. “I would not be hopeless about the situation but I do wonder about whether the present bishops can ever come to terms with the abuse,” says Sean.

He feels positively about the recent meeting of the Association of Catholic Priests in Ireland where over 300 priests met to discuss women in the Church, optional celibacy and other important issues facing the church today. VOTF in Ireland hopes to work with this group for greater change. 

Sean also shared news that two members of VOTF Ireland will be meeting with bishops in Dublin to discuss the spiritual impact of abuse. He feels positively about the views they can share with the hierarchy in Dublin and the relationships they are working to build.

Sean, who lives in Coleraine in Northern Ireland, was asked by the bishop of Killala to speak with priests in the diocese about his vision for the Catholic Church in Ireland. It’s a visit he hopes will be useful for himself as well as for the priests of Killala.