Holy Father Pope Francis is embarking on the 24th apostolic visit of his pontificate with a visit to Ireland, August 25-26, to join in the Catholic Church’s 9th World Meeting of Families in Dublin. The Catholic Church’s 5-day event, on the theme, “The Gospel of the Family: Joy for the World”, began on Tuesday and will conclude on Sunday.
Greg Burke, the director of the Holy See Press Office held a press conference on Tuesday, presenting the Pope’s weekend visit. He pointed out that the highlights of the 2-day Irish visit will be the Festival of Families Saturday evening at Croke Park Stadium and the concluding Holy Mass on Sunday at Phoenix Park.
Ireland is a country shaken by the scourge of clerical sexual abuse in which crimes have been committed on thousands of Catholics by priests, religious brothers and nuns, and bishops who covered up for them. According to the papal schedule, the Holy Father will pray silently in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of St. Mary’s Cathedral where a candle has been burning for years for the victims of abuse. Even though a meeting with abuse victims is not scheduled, Burke did not rule out a meeting with them, saying the Pope meets victims in countries where abuse “is a reality”.
