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Papal visit: Pope shamed by Church's abuse failures | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Pope Francis has said he is ashamed of the Catholic Church's failure to adequately address the "repellent crimes" of sex abuse by clergy. | |
The Pope was addressing political leaders and diplomats at Dublin Castle during the first papal visit to the Republic of Ireland for 40 years. | |
He is expected to meet victims of clerical sex abuse later on Saturday. | |
The visit coincides with the World Meeting of Families - a global Catholic gathering held every three years. | The visit coincides with the World Meeting of Families - a global Catholic gathering held every three years. |
"I cannot fail to acknowledge the grave scandal caused in Ireland by the abuse of young people by members of the Church charged with responsibility for their protection and education," he told the Dublin Castle audience. | |
"The failure of ecclesiastical authorities - bishops, religious superiors, priests and others - adequately to address these repellent crimes has rightly given rise to outrage, and remains a source of pain and shame for the Catholic community. | |
"I myself share those sentiments." | |
Earlier this week, in a letter to the world's 1.2bn Roman Catholics, the Pope condemned the "atrocities" of child abuse and clerical cover-ups. | |
The Pope's visit will end with a Mass for 500,000 people at Phoenix Park on Sunday. | |
He was presented with flowers and vestments by children at the airport. | |
He then travelled to Áras an Uachtaráin, the Irish president's residence, where he was welcomed by President Michael D Higgins, his wife Sabina and a military guard of honour. | |
The Ireland that he is visiting is a different country to that which greeted Pope John Paul II in 1979. | The Ireland that he is visiting is a different country to that which greeted Pope John Paul II in 1979. |
Since the Polish pope's visit, there have been huge changes in public attitudes to social issues including abortion, contraception, divorce and same-sex marriage. | Since the Polish pope's visit, there have been huge changes in public attitudes to social issues including abortion, contraception, divorce and same-sex marriage. |
The country voted for constitutional change on gay marriage in 2015 and voted overwhelmingly to overturn its strict abortion law in May. | The country voted for constitutional change on gay marriage in 2015 and voted overwhelmingly to overturn its strict abortion law in May. |
The Irish Catholic Church has been engulfed in scandal with the uncovering of widespread clerical sexual abuse of children and cover-ups. | The Irish Catholic Church has been engulfed in scandal with the uncovering of widespread clerical sexual abuse of children and cover-ups. |
Child sex abuse scandals continue to embroil the Church around the globe. | Child sex abuse scandals continue to embroil the Church around the globe. |
On Friday, Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister (taoiseach), said he hoped Pope Francis's visit would mark the beginning of a new chapter in Ireland's relationship with the Church. | On Friday, Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister (taoiseach), said he hoped Pope Francis's visit would mark the beginning of a new chapter in Ireland's relationship with the Church. |
"In the past the Catholic Church had too much of a dominant place in our society," he said. | "In the past the Catholic Church had too much of a dominant place in our society," he said. |
Moral authority ravaged | |
By Martin Bashir, BBC religion editor | |
Back in the 1970s, almost 90% of Irish Catholics would attend weekly Mass. Divorce, abortion and contraception were against the law. | |
Since then, religious faith and attendance at Mass have been diminished from within: scandal upon scandal has ravaged the Church's moral authority. | |
The biggest challenge for the Church in Ireland is not the power of secularism, from without, but the task of establishing moral integrity and moral accountability, from within. | |
Read more: The Pope's delicate Irish journey | |
"It still has a place in our society, but not one that determines public policy or determines our laws." | "It still has a place in our society, but not one that determines public policy or determines our laws." |
The taoiseach described the papal visit as one of the biggest events in Ireland in the past 40 years, adding it was also a chance for the Pope to speak directly to those harmed by crimes that took place in Church-run institutions. | The taoiseach described the papal visit as one of the biggest events in Ireland in the past 40 years, adding it was also a chance for the Pope to speak directly to those harmed by crimes that took place in Church-run institutions. |
The Vatican said the meeting with sex-abuse survivors would not be announced until after it was over, and that it would be up to victims if they wanted to speak afterwards. | The Vatican said the meeting with sex-abuse survivors would not be announced until after it was over, and that it would be up to victims if they wanted to speak afterwards. |
On Saturday evening, the Pope will attend the Festival of Families concert in Dublin's Croke Park stadium. | On Saturday evening, the Pope will attend the Festival of Families concert in Dublin's Croke Park stadium. |
More than 70,000 people are expected to take part, with the world-renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli due to perform. | More than 70,000 people are expected to take part, with the world-renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli due to perform. |
Other acts on the bill include Nathan Carter, Daniel O'Donnell, Moya Brennan, the Begley Family and the Priests. | Other acts on the bill include Nathan Carter, Daniel O'Donnell, Moya Brennan, the Begley Family and the Priests. |
The pontiff will travel to County Mayo on Sunday morning for a visit to Knock Shrine. | The pontiff will travel to County Mayo on Sunday morning for a visit to Knock Shrine. |
He will return to Dublin for an afternoon Mass in front of an estimated 500,000 people in Phoenix Park, to close the World Meeting of Families. | He will return to Dublin for an afternoon Mass in front of an estimated 500,000 people in Phoenix Park, to close the World Meeting of Families. |
Saturday 25 August | Saturday 25 August |
Sunday 26 August | Sunday 26 August |
You can follow minute-by-minute updates on the Pope's visit here on the BBC News website. | You can follow minute-by-minute updates on the Pope's visit here on the BBC News website. |
You can watch live coverage of the visit on a special Newsline programme on Saturday at 12:00 and again at 19:20 BST on BBC One NI. | You can watch live coverage of the visit on a special Newsline programme on Saturday at 12:00 and again at 19:20 BST on BBC One NI. |
Switch on for Sunday's Newsline showing highlights from the visit at 22:30 BST. | Switch on for Sunday's Newsline showing highlights from the visit at 22:30 BST. |
On radio, tune into BBC Radio Ulster on Saturday at 11:30 for live coverage with William Crawley and join Seamus McKee for a special extended The Sunday News at 13:00. | On radio, tune into BBC Radio Ulster on Saturday at 11:30 for live coverage with William Crawley and join Seamus McKee for a special extended The Sunday News at 13:00. |