“We now ask that from words flow actions.”
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar bade farewell to Pope Francis as the Pontifex Maximus departed Ireland following a busy weekend with a keen eye the future.
On Saturday, the Pope met with survivors of clerical abuse in a “cordial and polite” meeting.
On Sunday morning in Knock, he begged for God’s forgiveness while discussing the “open wound” of clerical abuse in Ireland.
Before 45,000 people, the Pope spoke of “firm and decisive” action in the name of “truth and justice”.
Later, he said mass Phoenix Park during which he read from a handwritten letter and asked for forgiveness of abuses carried out by members of the Catholic Church in Ireland.
Pope Francis has now left the country following the announcement that the next World Meeting of Families is set to take place in Rome in 2021.
Leo Varadkar concluded the visit with a short statement of his own on Twitter in which he thanked the Pope for visiting Ireland, while expressing his hope that action will follow in the wake of his words.
“We welcome Pope Francis’s call for firm and decisive action and for forgiveness,” said the Taoiseach.
“We now ask that from words flow actions.
“We thank Pope Francis for his visit, and ask for his prayers.”
We welcome Pope Francis’s call for firm and decisive action and for forgiveness. We now ask that from words flow actions. We thank Pope Francis for his visit, and ask for his prayers. pic.twitter.com/6cg2YKh6Pr
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) August 26, 2018
Also on Sunday, thousands of people lined the streets of Dublin for the Stand4Truth demonstration; a showing of solidarity for victims of clerical abuse.
The event featured speeches and performances from the likes of Colm O’Gorman, Hozier and Marian Keyes.
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