Loading...
Loading...
Click here if you don’t see subscription options

The bishops of England and Wales asked Catholics to carry out acts of penance to help atone for clerical abuse crimes. In a statement read at all parishes on the weekend of April 24-25, the bishops said it is “time for deep prayer and reparation for atonement” of the sins of priests and other Catholics who have abused children. The bishops recommended visiting the Blessed Sacrament to pray for victims, their abusers and for church leaders who mishandled cases.

After becoming caught up in the global phenomenon of the abuse of children by Catholic clerics, the church in England and Wales now claims it has one of the toughest child protection regimes in the world. In their statement, the bishops reminded Catholics that they are “members of a single universal body” and must atone for such offenses wherever they happen. They also expressed “heartfelt apology and deep sorrow to those who have suffered abuse, those who have felt ignored, disbelieved or betrayed.... We ask their pardon and the pardon of God for these terrible deeds done in our midst,” the bishops said. “There can be no excuses.”

Comments are automatically closed two weeks after an article's initial publication. See our comments policy for more.

The latest from america

As I sit sore and tired, I cannot also help but think that the N.Y.C. Marathon for me is a thin space, a space where I can easily see God’s presence in the world.
Robert McCarthyNovember 04, 2024
Archbishop Domenico Battaglia of Naples has been named as one of the prelates Pope Francis will make a cardinal on December 7th.
“I will not vote for president this year,” Monica Brent writes. “I cannot in good conscience vote for Donald Trump, for many reasons. However, Kamala Harris’s stance on abortion makes her a no-go for me, as well. ”
Our readersNovember 04, 2024
Pope Francis, your encyclical on the Sacred Heart, “Dilexit Nos,” is beautiful and heartwarming. And for Catholics in the United States, the timing was perfect.
Joe Laramie, S.J.November 04, 2024