Abuse report will not delay Irish Eucharistic Congress

Dublin, Ireland, Jul 30, 2011 / 05:10 am

Ireland's 2012 International Eucharistic Congress will continue as planned, from June 10-17,  despite calls to postpone the event following the recently released Cloyne Report on clerical abuse.

“It is especially important for people in times of challenge or crisis that they can gather in solidarity and rediscover their essential truths,” said Father Kevin Doran, secretary general of the Eucharistic Congress, on July 29.

He told CNA that “Catholics are no different in this regard” and the Eucharistic Congress will “support that need” within the Church.

Senator Cait Keane, a member of Ireland's ruling Fine Gael party, had proposed the postponement, telling the Irish parliament on July 27 that “everyone will be better served, given the sensitivities around the findings of this report,” if the congress is “held at a later date.”

The controversial Association of Catholic Priests, which calls for a “re-structuring of the governing system of the Church” and a “redesigning of ministry in the Church,” has backed the idea of postponement.

But Fr. Doran said there was “substantial enthusiasm for the Congress,” both locally and internationally, and noted that the Church had been planning the event since June 2008.

He added that the Congress is not just a week-long event but a “pilgrimage of renewal,” where participants can come together to explore the meaning of Eucharist in all its dimensions, including the challenge of acting justly and walking humbly with God.”