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| Our Humble God by Howard Banks |
Deacon Greg links us to this February 15 press release from the Archdiocese of Dublin:
On next Sunday 20th February at 3pm a Liturgy of Lament and Repentance for the sexual abuse of children by priests and religious will be held in St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, within the framework of the Apostolic Visitation of the Archdiocese of Dublin.
The liturgy will ask the forgiveness of God and of all survivors for the failure of those Church leaders and many others in the family of the Church to respond with love, integrity, honesty, understanding and compassion to the pain and distress of survivors.
During the liturgy which has been prepared principally by survivors, Cardinal Sean O’Malley and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin will wash the feet of a group of people who have suffered in various ways through abuse.
Please pray with me for the Church in Ireland:
For the healing of those who have been abused and betrayed
and for the restoration of trust and confidence in the Church,
let us pray to the Lord...
and for the restoration of trust and confidence in the Church,
let us pray to the Lord...
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Please keep in mind that the service on February 20 is but one moment in the course of the Apostolic Visitation of the Archdiocese of Dublin. Certainly no one intends or thinks that this symbolic act is sufficient to make right decades of tragic abuse and failure in ministry. It is but one small step along a very long road.
ReplyDeleteAmen to this and thanks for letting me know about the service.
ReplyDeleteI imagine it will be very emotional and the fact the preparations have included input from abused people themselves makes it special too.
A small but important step.
Blessings
"It is but one small step along a very long road."
ReplyDeleteOh, how your words here are so perfect for this, and for so many other situations-
very wise words, indeed.
One step at a time... in everything.
(it is very good to have you back here in cyberspace... )
Lord, hear our prayer...
ReplyDeleteWouldn’t the symbolism be a lot better if some of the GUILTY bishops did the apologizing and foot washing? I’d suggest the Dublin auxiliaries whose resignations last year were refused by the pope.
ReplyDeleteI tried, in my comment (the first above) to establish a level ground for this combox.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I'm receiving comments (not those published above) from readers who seem to reject any effort of the Church to respond to this tragedy.
I'm closing comments on this post.
Regular readers of my blog know that I've never tried to hide the story of abuse in the Church. This post was intended to alert people to a prayer service in Dublin and to invite them, wherever they might be, to join in that prayer. Let the post stand for what it was originally intended.