Acta Apostolicae Sedis - Commentarium Officiale374

persons have experienced a loss of trust in their Pastors. Many good priests

and Religious have felt unjustly tainted by association with the accused in

the court of public opinion; some have not felt sufficiently defended by their

Bishops and Superiors. Those same Bishops and Superiors have often felt

isolated as they sought to confront the waves of indignation and at times

they have found it difficult to agree on a common line of action.

On the other hand, this time of trial has also brought to light the con-

tinuing vitality of the Irish people's faith. The Visitators have noted the

exemplary way in which many Bishops, priests and Religious live out their

vocation, the human and spiritual bonds among the faithful at a time of

crisis, the deep faith of many men and women, a remarkable level of lay

involvement in the structures of child protection, and the heartfelt commit-

ment shown by Bishops and Religious Superiors in their task of serving the

Christian community.

These are just some of the signs of hope that the Visitators have identi-

fied, alongside the various difficulties, in the life of the Church in Ireland. It

is vitally important that, at a point in history marked by rapid cultural and

social transformation, all the components of the Church in Ireland hear in the

first place a renewed call to communion: communion among the Bishops

themselves and with the Successor of Peter; communion between diocesan

Bishops and their clergy; communion between Pastors and lay persons; and

communion between diocesan structures and communities of consecrated

life - communion that is not attained merely through human agreements or

strategies, but above all by listening humbly to God's Word and to what the

Holy Spirit gives and asks of the Church in our day. Only a united Church

can be an effective witness to Christ in the world.

Among the pastoral priorities that have emerged most strongly is the

need for deeper formation in the content of the faith for young people and

adults; a broad and well-planned ongoing theological and spiritual formation

for clergy, Religious and lay faithful; a new focus on the role of the laity, who

are called to be engaged both within the Church and in bearing witness before

society, in accordance with the social teachings of the Church. There is a need

to harness the contribution of the new Ecclesial Movements, in order better

to reach the younger generation and to give renewed enthusiasm to Christian

life. A careful review is needed of the training given to teachers of religion,

the Catholic identity of schools and their relationship with the parishes to

which they belong, so as to ensure a sound and well-balanced education.