Archbishop Eamon Martin apologises, seeks forgiveness after NI Mother and Baby Homes report

The Archbishop of Armagh said he is “truly sorry” and asked for the forgiveness of survivors following the publication of the research report on Mother and Baby Homes and Magdalene Laundries in Northern Ireland, on Tuesday, 26 January.

In a statement released following the report, Archbishop Martin said that January “will go down in history as the time when the people of Ireland – north and south – came face to face with a stark reality of our past”.

“The way we stigmatised and harshly judged many vulnerable pregnant women in crisis and treated them and their children in such a cold and uncaring manner… we made them feel guilty and ashamed,” Archbishop Martin said in the statement.

“As a Catholic Church leader in Ireland it is I who now feel embarrassed and guilty over the way in which we in the Church contributed to, and bolstered, that culture of concealment, condemnation, and self-righteousness,” the archbishop’s statement continued.

“For that I am truly sorry and ask the forgiveness of survivors. How did we so obscure the love and mercy and compassion of Christ which is at the very heart of the Gospel? Shame on us.”

Reflect

Archbishop Martin thanked Dr McCormick, Professor O’Connell and the team that put together the report.

He encouraged everyone to “spend time with it, reflecting in particular on the striking oral history section which grounds their research in the testimonies of mothers and their children”.

“The story of Mother and Baby Homes and Magdalene Laundries in Ireland – north and south – touches the lives of countless families across this island. No doubt it will rekindle troubling memories and raise difficult questions for many of us. However we can all play a part in the journey towards healing and reparation,” Archbishop Martin said.

The archbishop’s statement concluded that “it is clear from the Research Report that there is scope for further investigation or inquiry into aspects of this complex story”.

He encouraged “all in leadership within the Church and State to extend their full cooperation with the work of the independent investigation announced today so that those who have been most impacted can be helped to find hope and peace for the future”.