Acta Apostolicae Sedis - Commentarium Officiale366

SECRETARIA STATUS

Summarium conclusionum Mandati Apostolici in Hibernia

SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS

OF THE APOSTOLIC VISITATION IN IRELAND

The Summary of the findings of the Apostolic Visitation in Ireland, published

herewith, offers a synthesis of the results of the Visitations to the four Archdio-

ceses, to Religious Institutes and to the Irish Seminaries. It has been approved by

the Offices which conducted the Visitation and it also contains some further

observations from the Holy See, in addition to those that the individual Dicas-

teries communicated to the leaders of the respective Archdioceses or Institutes:

Now that the Apostolic Visitation to certain Dioceses, Seminaries and

Religious Institutes in Ireland has been concluded, it is intended here,

in accordance with what was stated in the Communiqué of 6 June 2011, to

offer an overall synthesis indicating the results and the future prospects

highlighted by the Visitation.

It should be borne in mind that the Visitation was pastoral in nature; the

Holy Father's intention was that it should "assist the local Church on her

path of renewal".1 It was not intended to replace or supersede the ordinary

responsibility of Bishops and Religious Superiors, nor to interfere "with the

ordinary activity of the local magistrates, nor with the activity of the

Commissions of Investigation established by the Irish Parliament, nor with

the work of any legislative authority, which has competence in the area of

prevention of abuse of minors".2

In communicating this summary of the Findings of the Apostolic

Visitation, the Holy See re-echoes the sense of dismay and betrayal which

the Holy Father expressed in his Letter to the Catholics of Ireland regarding the

sinful and criminal acts that were at the root of this particular crisis.

1 Pastoral Letter of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI to the Catholics of Ireland,

19 March 2010. 2 Communiqué of the Holy See Press Office, 12 November 2010.