The organisers of the International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin have defended the absence of a senior member of the Irish hierarchy from making a speech on clerical sexual abuse during the event.
Fr Kevin Doran, congress general secretary, said they had received advice "from various sources" which included survivors, that the perspective from someone outside Ireland on the issue would be welcome.
"People have heard lots of voices from Ireland," he said after a keynote event yesterday.
Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines gave an address entitled: "The Abuse of Children — Accepting Responsibility, Bringing Healing."
He said the crisis among the clergy was "immense in scope" and included not just allegations of sexual misconduct but "suspicions about the clergy’s handling of money, accusations of misuse of authority, inappropriate lifestyle, and a host of other things".
The archbishop said it was unfortunate that treating all cases of clerical sexual abuse uniformly had been the "panic response" in some quarters.
Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines gave an address entitled: "The Abuse of Children — Accepting Responsibility, Bringing Healing."
He said the crisis among the clergy was "immense in scope" and included not just allegations of sexual misconduct but "suspicions about the clergy’s handling of money, accusations of misuse of authority, inappropriate lifestyle, and a host of other things".
The archbishop said it was unfortunate that treating all cases of clerical sexual abuse uniformly had been the "panic response" in some quarters.
He claimed any notion the problem was limited to Western cultures was mistaken and acknowledged that the Asian experience had also been to face the scandal with silence.
He said there was a cultural aspect to the problem with touching and the subordination of children a natural part of many cultures. Others, he said, conferred a status on priests as "more than ordinary humans".
He urged Catholic leaders to be prepared to be scrutinised by the media provided it maintained fairness and truthfulness in reporting.
He said the pastoral response to such a crisis had to address the needs of victims and offenders, their families as well as non-offending priests and Church leaders.
Cardinal Seán Brady, who has been criticised for handling of reports of clerical sex abuse, was at yesterday’s congress but did not attend Dr Tagle’s speech.
Meanwhile, the founders of a website which helps people leave the Catholic Church is seeking the Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin’s help.
He said there was a cultural aspect to the problem with touching and the subordination of children a natural part of many cultures. Others, he said, conferred a status on priests as "more than ordinary humans".
He urged Catholic leaders to be prepared to be scrutinised by the media provided it maintained fairness and truthfulness in reporting.
He said the pastoral response to such a crisis had to address the needs of victims and offenders, their families as well as non-offending priests and Church leaders.
Cardinal Seán Brady, who has been criticised for handling of reports of clerical sex abuse, was at yesterday’s congress but did not attend Dr Tagle’s speech.
Meanwhile, the founders of a website which helps people leave the Catholic Church is seeking the Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin’s help.
Paul Dunbar, co-founder of countmeout.ie, said Archbishop Martin may be able to voice concerns on behalf of people who wish to formally leave the Church, but are no longer allowed to.