The Archbishop of Dublin, Diarumid Martin is playing down last year’s rumours the Pope will visit Ireland in 2012.
Speaking on RTE radio, Martin said that Pope Benedict is still considering an invitation to travel to Ireland, but added that the Holy Father thinks “his coming would have to fit into the overall timetable of the renewal of the Church in Ireland.”
Martin wholly agreed with the Pope’s assessment, that at this point Ireland is not prepared to receive a visit from the Pontiff.
“We have to see and understand ourselves where we want to go with the Catholic Church. I think a papal visit will only have a significance when many of these issues of our past are fully addressed”, Martin said.
A papal visit to Ireland became an on-again off-again likelihood in 2011 when it was said he would attend the 2012 Eucharistic Congress, but the sexual abuse scandal erupted again eventuating in some rather ‘stinging’ comments by the Irish Prime Minister.
As things quietened, later in the year, the government hinted it might issue a formal invitation if the Pope expressed an interest.
Archbishop Martin did not rule out the possibility that the Pope could visit in 2012, but suggested that the Irish Church should show significant signs of renewal before a visit could be scheduled.
Sources