See also We Are Church - Ireland's webpage

Today, Good Friday, members of ‘We are Church Ireland‘ staged a dramatic presentation on Grafton Street, Dublin 2, calling for ‘Justice for Worldwide Survivors of Clerical Child Sex Abuse‘ and for members of the Catholic Hierarchy involved in the cover-up of these heinous crimes through not reporting them to the civil authorities, to be brought to justice both in the Civil and Church courts. There is ambivalence and no clear direction from the Vatican on the reporting of clerical child sex abuse to civil authorities worldwide.

A training course organised by The Vatican Congregation for Bishops for newly appointed Catholic bishops from around the world held in September 2015, was told that they had no obligation to report abuse charges to civil law enforcement agencies. The Pontifical commission for the Protection of Minors set up by Pope Francis in 2014 had not been invited by the organising Congregation of Bishops to address the new bishops with their alternate view that all bishops had a moral and religious responsibility to report all child sexual abuse charges to the civil authorities.

From We Are Church - Ireland

March13th 2016 marks the third anniversary of the accession of Cardinal Bergoglio to the Papacy as Pope Francis. His informal address to the assembled crowds in St. Peter’s Square on that historic evening endeared him to the hearts of all Christians and people of good will . He laid out his mission statement for the future of the Catholic Church on November 24^th 2013 in his inspirational letter ‘Evangelii Gaudium’. In May 2015 another major development occurred with his issuing of his encyclical on the future of our world, ‘Laudato Si’.

Within a month of his election he set up The Council of Cardinal Advisors and a year later the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Pope Francis has adopted a synodal approach in the implementation of his programme for change exemplified by his calling of the Synod of the family in 2014 and 2015. His major impact has been his emphasis on the social justice message of the Gospel taking the side of the marginalised and the dispossessed of society.

However, many women are offended by his refusal to recognise their God-given equality with men in the Church. After three years of his pontificate we are still awaiting the practical implementation of his vision as outlined in ‘Evangelii Gaudium’. There is no doubt that he is receiving both subtle and open opposition as he attempts any meaningful change both to Catholic Church structures and non- dogmatic doctrine.

‘We call on all Catholics especially those Vatican Cardinals who are resisting change to support Pope Francis. The forthcoming publication on how he intends to implement the recommendations of the 2014/15 Synod of the family will undoubtedly be seen as the watershed of his Pontificate’, stated Brendan Butler spokesperson, We are Church Ireland .

Further Information : Brendan Butler , 0864054984