This section is reprinted from the Irish Catholic, January 15, 2009. Author is Michael Kelly

Dublin’s Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has embarked on a number of meetings this week to consult with parish pastoral councils in anticipation of the report of Dublin Inquiry.  The report, prepared by Ms Justice Yvonne Murphy, is expected to be published later this month and is investigating the handing of a “representative sample” of allegations of abuse by priests of the Archdiocese from 1940, made between January 1975 and May 2004.

In a letter to all parishes, Dr. Martin invited the Chairman of each parish pastoral council to attend a series of meetings over the next two weeks in anticipation of the report.  The move follows a similar series of meetings held before Christmas to brief priests on the diocese’s preparation for the publication of the report.

As reported in The Irish Catholic late last year Dr. Martin has described, in correspondence, the scale of abuse by priests in Dublin as “staggering”.  More than 400 people are known to have suffered abuse by priests serving in the Dublin Archdiocese.

Dr. Martin also requests that each parish’s child protection officer attends the meeting and strongly encourages priests to accompany their parish representatives.

A diocesan source confirmed to The Irish Catholic that the meetings were part of the Archbishop’s policy of keeping people involved very step of the way.  “We’ve already held very productive meetings with the priests, and now it is his (Dr Martin’s) hope that these new meetings with the parish councils will allow people to feel prepared for when the report actually comes out”.

The Archbishop is not planning to have a letter read at all Masses in the wake of the report, but, is hoping that every parish can prepare an appropriate response.  The Irish Catholic understands that parish representatives attending these meetings will be encouraged to hold a special meeting of their parish council at which people will be invited to attend.

The Commission to Investigate was established in November 2005 and was due to report within eighteen months.  However, the Department of Justice has granted several extensions to the Commission.  The final report is due before the end of this month.