Pope Francis has been urged to address the issue of historic abuse in the Church when he visits Ireland next month.
The Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin says that it is important to tackle the issue as wounds of the past are still a long way from healing.
Dr Martin made his comments when he appeared on Marian Finucane’s RTÉ Radio 1 show.
He said: “It is important, I believe, that he [Pope Francis] does address it because the wounds are there and new wounds are emerging.
“If I had been asked two years ago I would have been talking about institutions and abuse by clergy . . . now it’s Magdalene laundries and mother-and-baby homes and a whole series of other places [where issues are emerging].”
The Pope will be in Ireland from 25-26 August in the first Papal visit to the country in a generation.
The last Pope to visit Ireland was John Paul II in 1979, when he over one million people gathered in Dublin’s Phoenix Park to see him.
Pope Francis visit next month is to coincide with the World Meeting of Families which takes place at Croke Park on August 25.
Half a million tickets have been snapped up to see the Pope say mass in Phoenix park on 26 August.
People are expected to come to Ireland from across the world to see the Pope.
Dr Martin said: “One of the great attractions of Pope Francis is how he himself shows how the role of Pope can be unique in bringing the Christian message into our complex world.
“He shows us that he can live in a world where faith seems marginal and yet manages to touch hearts.”
Written by Michael Kehoe @michaelcalling
