Cardinal Vincent Nichols has expressed his sorrow, shame and “abhorrence” over recent revelations of clerical sexual abuse and says he takes a personal responsibility for the Church’s failures to protect children. 

“I am utterly ashamed that this evil has, for so long, found a place in our house, our Church,” the cardinal wrote in a 22 August letter distributed to priests and parishes of the Archdiocese of Westminster. 

“This evil has particular abhorrence because not only is it a terrible abuse of power, but also because, in its evil, it both employs and destroys the very goodness of faith and trust in God. As a Father in this House, I bear this shame in a direct way, for it is the direct responsibility of a father to protect his household from harm, no matter how difficult and complex that might be.”

The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster says that he is “so sorry for the hurt that has been caused” and, in particular, for “those whose lives have been radically damaged by childhood abuse, to their families, and to those who know personally a deep sense of trust that has been betrayed.”

His letter follows the unprecedented letter on clerical abuse from Pope Francis to the entire Church this week where he expressed his shame for abuse, cited clericalism as the source of the abuse problem called on all Catholics to undertake a period of penance and fasting.

“The initial response of Pope Francis was that of 'sorrow and shame'. I fully share that response,” the cardinal writes. 

“The plain and detailed disclosure of the extent of the abuse of children which has taken place in various parts of our Church, over so many years, has been so painful to follow and to take to heart. Yet to do so is absolutely necessary.”

The letter from the cardinal follows a recent Grand Jury report in Pennsylvania documenting the abuse of 1,000 children and multiple cover-ups and an independent inquiry’s findings of abuse at the English Benedictine schools Ampleforth and Downside. 

The IICSA report found that sexual abuse was inflicted over decades on children as young as seven at Ampleforth and eleven at Downside. 

This weekend the Pope will be attending World Meeting of Families, a Vatican-sponsored international event in Dublin, aimed at bolstering the Church’s marriage and family life ministry. 

But the issue of clerical abuse threatens to overshadow the gathering with two prominent Cardinals from the United States – Sean O’Malley and Donald Wuerl – pulling out from attending due to the abuse and sexual misconduct scandals back home. During his 25-26 August trip to Ireland, the Pope will meet with abuse survivors and is expected to publicly address the issue of abuse. 

Cardinal Nichols is among a number of church leaders from across the world attending the gathering of families in Ireland and will be the keynote speaker at an event on 23 August titled: “Support and Preparation for Marriage in the Light of Amoris Laetitia [the Pope's marriage and family life document].” 

The Tablet at WMOF2018

The Tablet is at the World Meeting of Families. Come and say "hello" –  the main exhibition area - stand 91