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Archbishop of Canterbury slams Irish Catholic Church

PATRICK COOPER,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Saturday, April 3, 2010, 9:19 AM

Updated Saturday, April 3, 2010, 12:37 PM

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The Archbishop of Canterbury

Father Tim / Archbishops of Canterbury who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones / Click here

Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, has made an astonishing attack against the Irish Catholic Church as it reels from one sex abuse scandal to another.

Williams, speaking to the BBC, gave a forthright opinion on the state of the Catholic faith in Ireland.

"I was speaking to an Irish friend recently who was saying that it's quite difficult in some parts of Ireland to go down the street wearing a clerical collar now,” said the Anglican Archbishop.

"And an institution so deeply bound into the life of a society suddenly becoming, suddenly losing all credibility - that's not just a problem for the Church, it is a problem for everybody in Ireland."

Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin, was so infuriated by Williams'' outburst the he was compelled to release the following statement:

"The unequivocal and unqualified comment... has stunned me," the statement reads.

"As Archbishop of Dublin, I have been more than forthright in addressing the failures of the Catholic Church in Ireland. I still shudder when I think of the harm that was caused to abused children. I recognize that their Church failed them.

"But I also journey with those -- especially parents and priests -- who work day by day to renew the Catholic Church in this diocese and who are committed to staying with their Church and passing on the faith in wearying times.

"Archbishop Williams' comments will be for them immensely disheartening and will challenge their faith even further.

"Those working for renewal in the Catholic Church in Ireland did not need this comment on this Easter weekend and do not deserve it.

"In all my years as Archbishop of Dublin in difficult times I have rarely felt personally so discouraged as this morning when I woke to hear Archbishop Williams' comments."

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2BorNot2B | May 13, 2010, 11:41 AM EDT

Kudos to andrewJV, dottiedolittle and MikeRock!

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Southernpride | Apr 05, 2010, 02:58 PM EDT

Hide your childern from Irish homosexual/paedophile priests

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MikeRock | Apr 04, 2010, 09:50 PM EDT

Hey Rowan, Take a real hard look from whence you came.

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dottiedolittle | Apr 04, 2010, 04:02 PM EDT

I think Archbishop Williams should check his own house before making comments about the Church in Ireland.

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andrewjv | Apr 04, 2010, 09:45 AM EDT

Now let me get this straight. A "Church" that can't get itself together,that is so divided, and even ordains practicing WOMEN LESBIANS as priests and now BISHOPS, and has openly practing GAY MEN and now GAY BISHOPS is standing up and pointing fingers at the ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH for the current crisis? Please excuse me but the Anglican/Episcopal Church is in more disarray than any other Church on the face of the globe! There are even Episcopal Churches that provide funeral services for dogs and cats! Now lets not say that what has happened in the Roman Catholic Church should be overlooked or condoned but please Archbishop Williams, clean up your own house, get your house in order, and for God's sake, re-examine your own traditions that started with the illegitimate doings of a drunken King and his illegitimate daughter who put so any believing Christian and Catholic men and women, saints and martyrs to death on the gallows at Tyburn in London for maintaining their True Catholic Faith before you start pointing fingers at someone else. "The truth shall set you free"

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Southernpride | Apr 04, 2010, 03:46 AM EDT

As an Irish Catholis I believe the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams is 100% correct in what he said. Most people in Ireland believe that those perverted priests should be executed for the crimes they commited against childern People can't trust priests with childern anymore

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hyattsville | Apr 04, 2010, 12:23 AM EDT

And of course the outrage is mostly over the fact that this came from the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury. He speaks the truth. He has said what many Irish people think. I wonder how many of these 'men of God' need to confess their sins, leave the church, and serve time for their heinous crimes against children and against God.

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hollabackgurl | Apr 03, 2010, 08:05 PM EDT

I don't think what he said is controversial. But the context is. That doesn't mean he's wrong, he should just have reflected that he's the, uh, head of the Church of England. Also, he's apologized quickly. That's more than the Irish Church did. I think Diarmuid Martin should be content to leave it at that. It's not as if he can deny the sentiments. The Church in Ireland has lost its credibility.

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barneyjo | Apr 03, 2010, 07:57 PM EDT

Other than the fact that it was the Church of England Leader that made this statement, I cant see what the fuss is about. Dr Williams merely stated what most Irish Catholics feel, whether they are lapsed or not. I am still going to Mass, I have no problem with what the Arch Bishop has said. The Irish Hierarchy should note the forthright nature of his comments; and learn from them

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roseofengland | Apr 03, 2010, 07:47 PM EDT

"...an institution losing all credibility"? What an apt description of the Church of England.

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