Irish church pledge $14.1 million in compensation for clerical abuse victims - POLL

The Catholic Bishops of Ireland have pledged to spend $14.1 million on a counseling service dedicated to those who were abused by pedophile priests. This was just one of the several initiative outlined in the 16-page letter entitled "Towards Healing and Renewal".

The letter from the Irish Conference of Catholic Bishops outlines the ways that Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland, Cardinal Sean Brady hopes to "repair the breach of trust that has taken place".

These steps include the $14.1 million counseling service for victims and their family in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain. Also there will be additional child protection training and continued co-operation with police and social service with relation to allegations about the church. Also there will now be dedicated spiritual support for Catholics who lost their faith due to the ordeal.

The Bishops of Ireland also plan to fast once a month to try to make amends for their failure to respond to the crisis effectively.

The Guardian reports Cardinal Brady as saying "As a result of the grievous wrong of abuse, for many survivors their faith in God and the church has been profoundly damaged…A colossal breach of trust occurs when a child is abused. If the abuser is a priest, or religious, then an even greater betrayal has been perpetrated.

''The mismanagement of abuse allegations by church authorities compounded this damage. As we continue on our journey of renewal, the church resolves to repair the breach of trust which has taken place. We ask humbly that we be given this opportunity.''

The Bishop's new report also marks the anniversary for the pastoral letter from Pope Benedict XVI. The Pope apologized to victims of abuse in Ireland in the letter and announced the an Apostolic Visitation of the Catholic dioceses and religious orders.