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remarkable not only for their great numbers, but for the strength of their

faith and the steadfastness of their pastoral commitment. Many dioceses,

especially in Africa, America and Australia, benefited from the presence of

Irish clergy and religious who preached the Gospel and established parishes,

schools and universities, clinics and hospitals that served both Catholics and

the community at large, with particular attention to the needs of the poor.

In almost every family in Ireland, there has been someone - a son or a

daughter, an aunt or an uncle - who has given his or her life to the Church.

Irish families rightly esteem and cherish their loved ones who have dedicated

their lives to Christ, sharing the gift of faith with others, and putting that

faith into action in loving service of God and neighbour.

4. In recent decades, however, the Church in your country has had to

confront new and serious challenges to the faith arising from the rapid trans-

formation and secularization of Irish society. Fast-paced social change has

occurred, often adversely affecting people's traditional adherence to Catholic

teaching and values. All too often, the sacramental and devotional practices

that sustain faith and enable it to grow, such as frequent confession, daily

prayer and annual retreats, were neglected. Significant too was the tendency

during this period, also on the part of priests and religious, to adopt ways of

thinking and assessing secular realities without sufficient reference to the

Gospel. The programme of renewal proposed by the Second Vatican Council

was sometimes misinterpreted and indeed, in the light of the profound social

changes that were taking place, it was far from easy to know how best to

implement it. In particular, there was a well-intentioned but misguided ten-

dency to avoid penal approaches to canonically irregular situations. It is in

this overall context that we must try to understand the disturbing problem

of child sexual abuse, which has contributed in no small measure to the

weakening of faith and the loss of respect for the Church and her teachings.

Only by examining carefully the many elements that gave rise to the

present crisis can a clear-sighted diagnosis of its causes be undertaken and

effective remedies be found. Certainly, among the contributing factors we can

include: inadequate procedures for determining the suitability of candidates

for the priesthood and the religious life; insufficient human, moral, intellec-

tual and spiritual formation in seminaries and novitiates; a tendency in

society to favour the clergy and other authority figures; and a misplaced

concern for the reputation of the Church and the avoidance of scandal, re-