Irish Catholic Church furious after Archbishop of Canterbury says it has lost 'all credibility'
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 2:33 PM on 03rd April 2010
The Catholic Church in Ireland has hit back at the Archbishop of Canterbury after he claimed it had lost 'all credibility' because of its handling of the child abuse scandal.
愛爾蘭天主教教會對坎特伯雷大主教作出反擊，在他宣稱它因處理虐兒的醜聞，已失去'所有信譽'後，。
In a highly-unusual intervention, Dr Rowan Williams said revelations of paedophilia had been a 'colossal trauma' for Ireland in particular.
在一個高度不尋常的干預中，威廉姆斯博士說，戀童癖的揭露已是一個'龐大的創傷'，尤其是對愛爾蘭。
'I was speaking to an Irish friend recently who was saying that it's quite difficult in some parts of Ireland to go down the street wearing a clerical collar now,' he said.
'我最近對一個愛爾蘭朋友說，他在說現在在愛爾蘭某些部分，那是相當困難上街頭穿著教士領，'他說。
'And an institution so deeply bound into the life of a society suddenly becoming, suddenly losing all credibility - that's not just a problem for the church, it is a problem for everybody in Ireland.'
'和一個公共團體突然變得咁深入社會生活，突然失去所有信譽 - 這不祇是一個教會的問題，它是愛爾蘭每一個人的問題。
Dr Williams spoke out to the BBC Radio 4 Programme Start the Week, in an interview to be broadcast on Monday.
威廉姆斯博士對英國廣播公司4台節目 啟動週說出，在一訪問於週一播出。
But his comments sparked a furious reaction from senior clergy in Ireland, with Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin saying he was 'stunned'.
但他的評論引發愛爾蘭高級神職人員的憤怒反應，都柏林大主教迪爾米德'馬丁說他被'驚呆'。
The Archbishop of Canterbury said the Catholic Church in Ireland has lost 'all credibility', while Catholic bishops are using Easter to seek forgiveness
坎特伯雷大主教說愛爾蘭天主教教會已失去'所有信譽'，當天主教主教用復活節尋求寬恕
The clergyman said the 'unequivocal and unqualified comment' would knock those battling to renew the church.
'As Archbishop of Dublin, I have been more than forthright in addressing the failures of the Catholic Church in Ireland. I still shudder when I think of the harm that was caused to abused children. I recognise that their Church failed them,' he said.
'But I also journey with those - especially parents and priests - who work day by day to renew the Catholic Church in this diocese and who are committed to staying with their Church and passing on the faith in wearying times.
'Archbishop Williams' comments will be for them immensely disheartening and will challenge their faith even further... In all my years as Archbishop of Dublin in difficult times I have rarely felt personally so discouraged as when I woke to hear Archbishop Williams' comments.'
Church of Ireland Bishop of Meath and Kildare Richard Clarke said the remarks were 'thoughtless' and 'deeply hurtful'.
'Whereas it is clearly true that the Roman Catholic Church in this country is facing deep and serious challenges to its authority as a consequence of clerical abuse scandals, this careless and reckless use of language by Archbishop Williams is extremely unfortunate,' he said.
Bishop Clarke said most Bishops, priests and religious of the Roman Catholic tradition minister faithfully and selflessly under very difficult conditions.
'All credibility has most certainly not been lost to the Church, and it is deeply hurtful to Roman Catholic clergy and laity alike, and indeed to those of other Christian traditions, that such a thoughtless remark should be made by Archbishop Williams,' he added.
'It should be remembered that the Archbishop has neither experience of Irish life nor any direct ecclesiastical authority in this country. I hope that he will reflect on his comments, and I deeply regret the hurt that he has caused.'
The Catholic Church in Ireland has been rocked in recent months after revelations that paedophile priests got away with decades of horrific child sex abuse.
Pressure mounted this month on its leader, the Primate of All-Ireland Cardinal Sean Brady, after he admitted being at a meeting where children abused by notorious convicted sex offender Fr Brendan Smyth were forced to take a vow of silence.
Despite being greeted by applause at Armargh Cathedral and at St Patrick's Church, Drogheda at services on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, it is understood Cardinal Brady is under increasing pressure to go.
Sources suggested last night that he was likely to announce his retirement by Pentecost in May, triggering further resignations and re-organisation within the Church in Ireland.
The abuse scandal has also engulfed Pope Benedict, who faced claims he failed to properly investigate a serial abuser in a children's home for the deaf in Wisconsin in the U.S. in the late 1990s.
Dr Williams' comments come amid growing concern over the Pope's four-day visit to Britain in September, when he is expected to give an address on moral values in society in Westminster.
More than 10,000 people have signed a 'Protest the Pope' petition on Downing Street's website against the £15million cost of the visit, which will be share by the Government and the Church.
Yesterday the Vatican provoked more controversy after the Pope's personal preacher likened the criticism of the Church over the sex abuse scandal to 'collective violence' suffered by the Jews.
The Rev Raniero Cantalamessa said in a Good Friday homily with the Pope listening to him in St Peter's Basilica that a Jewish friend wrote to him to say the accusations remind him of the 'more shameful aspects of anti-Semitism'.
Earlier this week, Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin told worshippers the Church's response to paedophilia had been hopelessly inadequate.
He told a packed congregation at Holy Thursday Mass in St Mary's Pro-Cathedral in Dublin: 'Shameful abuse took place within the Church of Christ. The response was hopelessly inadequate.
'I do not wish to give the impression that I want to go on forever hammering home a message of grief about the past, that I am obsessed with the past.
'Some ask me, "Can we not leave all that aside now, proclaim closure and move on?". 'I cannot agree. There can be no overlooking the past.'
Catholic bishops worldwide are using Easter as an opportunity to seek forgiveness for the sins of the Church.
The leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, will say that Catholics are demoralised and confused by the 'many evils' perpetrated by the paedophile priests, according to the Times.
The leader of the Church in Germany denounced past failures in the Church's handling of complaints of child rape and other abuse.
A spokesman for the Catholic Church in Ireland declined to comment on Archbishop Williams' remarks.
'They are strong words, but no-one denies that the Church has both failed and has been damaged,' he said.
'But in particular... I'm not going to be commenting directly on Archbishop William's comments. They are a matter for himself.'
But the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin Dr John Neill said he listened to the remarks of Archbishop Williams with 'deep regret'.
'As one who with so many of my colleagues in ministry shares with that Church in a joint proclamation of the Gospel, and who acknowledges the pain and deep suffering of the victims of abuse, I also feel for the countless priests and bishops who daily live out their Christian vocation,' he said.
He said he supported his Catholic counterpart in Dublin, Archbishop Martin.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1263234/Catholic-Church-Ireland-lost-credibility-says-Archbishop-Canterbury.html
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