Francis’ reform agenda has people’s backing, says survivor priest

Francis’ reform agenda has people’s backing, says survivor priest Father Paddy McCafferty of Corpus Christi College.

People are fully behind Pope Francis’ efforts to tackle abuse and concealment of abuse in the Church, according to a  Belfast priest who was sexually assaulted by a priest while a seminarian and who was one of eight survivors of clerical and institutional abuse who met the Pope on Saturday evening.

The Pontiff was “obviously affected by what he heard”, according to Fr Paddy McCafferty of Belfast’s Corpus Christi parish, continuing that the Pope “responded unequivocally – expressing his shame, taking full responsibility as the visible earthly head of the Church, saying clearly ‘I am responsible’, asking for forgiveness”.

Writing on his Facebook page, Fr McCafferty said Pope Francis expressed his distress about corruption in the Church and his determination to tackle it, despite efforts to undermine and thwart his work.

“We told him that the people are fully behind him in his efforts,” wrote Fr McCafferty. “We told him that justice needs to be seen to be done and that even the most highly ranking of prelates must not be exempt from just penalties, when they cover up the crime of abuse, or deal with it incompetently.”

Healing

Other survivors present in the 90-minute meeting included: Marie Collins, a founding member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors; Fr Joe McDonald of St Matthew’s Parish in Ballyfermot, Dublin; Paul Jude Redmond and Clodagh Malone, both of whom were born in Mother and Baby homes; Bernadette Fahy, who lived as a child in the Goldenbridge Orphanage; Councillor Damien O’Farrell, who was abused by a Christian Brother when 12 years old; and a victim – who asked not to be named –  of abuse by the late Fr Tony Walsh.

All those present agreed “that the Pope was truly sincere and appeared resolved, to continue the work of healing, purification and reform, without fear or favour,” wrote Fr McCafferty, describing the Pope as “kind and gentle” and “visibly distressed” by the stories he heard.

Ahead of the papal visit, Fr McCafferty had called for the Pope to cancel the trip, saying that if he came he would be appearing alongside men who had serious questions to answer about abuse and cover-up.