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CATHERINE CORLESS HAS said she is disappointed that Pope Francis has not publicly mentioned the Tuam mother and baby home, at which 796 children are known to have died, during his visit to Ireland.
Her work as an amateur historian led to the discovery of human remains at the site in Co Galway.
In March 2017 the Commission into Mother and Baby Homes confirmed that a “significant” number of human remains were discovered at the site of the former Bon Secours home. Scientific analysis put the age of death between 35 foetal weeks and two to three years.
Speaking to RTÉ Radio 1′s This Week Corless said Pope Francis’ visit to Knock Shrine earlier today provided the perfect opportunity to mention the home.
“Particularly today in Knock I did think that the pope would mention Tuam, he was in the diocese and Tuam is just half an hour’s drive away from where he was. I thought it appropriate that he would have specifically mentioned those babies who were buried so unceremoniously. I’m just disappointed in that.”
Corless said, had the pope mentioned the site, ”It would carry a lot of weight and it would have made a huge impact in our cause to exhume those babies out of that deplorable area.”
Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone is understood to have raised the Tuam home with the pope yesterday.
Read out every name
A vigil is set to take place at the site this afternoon.
We will walk from the square in Tuam up to the mother and baby home site where all those little babies and children are buried unnamed, unclaimed, and just nobody seems to want to know about them.
“We feel our stand is with the home babies who are completely forgotten about,” Corless said.
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She added that candles will be lit and the name, age and year of death of each child will be read aloud.
“It’s just a little memorial for the children in the middle of all this, the pope’s visit and all the hundreds, thousands, that are going to see him, we feel that those babies must be recognised, must be exhumed and taken out of the sewage area that they’re in at the moment,” she said.
‘A missed opportunity’
Pope Francis met with abuse survivors and mother and baby home survivors in Dublin yesterday evening. He is said to have made a commitment to those present that action will be taken.
In relation to clerical abuse, he begged for “forgiveness for these sins and for the scandal and betrayal felt by so many others in God’s family” while delivering a speech at Knock Shrine.
The pontiff also addressed the issue of clerical abuse in his keynote speech at Dublin Castle yesterday, commenting that be could not fail to “acknowledge” the scandal. However, abuse survivors have pointed out he did not apologise to them publicly or mention the overall responsibility of the Church in relation to this abuse.
Corless had turned down an invite to attend the Dublin Castle event. She said not apologising publicly was “a missed opportunity”.
It would’ve given a very loud, clear, strong, believable message that the Vatican are going to really take this on board, if this was public and if the survivors were allowed to talk in public
“I mean it’s better than the pope not meeting survivors at all but it would have had much more impact if it was an open discussion.”
Referring to the pope asking for prayers to help the healing process, Corless said: “The survivors at this stage don’t particularly need prayers, they need action.
“They need to see that the Vatican have taken their cause on board and that they’re going to do something about it and ensure, with action, that this will never happen (again). Praying alone is not enough…
“I don’t think it’s much consolation to survivors after what they’ve been through, after what their mothers have been through.”
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Well done to the people of cork who donated
Cork 1 Enda n Joan O
Did ye see how they gave an exemption to ESB employees who are very well paid on guaranteed work and gold-plated pensions ,,,,,
Someone somewhere is getting paid lots… It’s not a conspiracy.
Fair play to the people of cork. This guy ran a dirty filthy rapist out of the town. It’s a strange thing but it’s always the downtrodden who will deal with rapists and child mollesters the way they need to be dealt with. Fair play more people needed to deal with rapists.
You have stats to back all that I suppose? And facts and court & police reports?
Despite everything going on in people lives there’s such goodness and giving to others in need.
Well done to the people that donated. As far as the arsonists are concerned, karma is a b1t@h and it will find you.
Glad to see that other comment removed. Hope things come around for him and he gets a bit of good luck and happiness. 13 years on streets is a very long time in so called rich country who can give free homes and education and food to people fr other countries but its own to be homeless. Free education on the promise of when that countries economy takes off they will buy Irish. But still leave their own people homeless.
I work in cork city centre and I often see this guy begging every day. He’s not the worst to be fair but he’s definitely on heroin or something because when u pass him he’s always ‘nodding’ off to sleep. One of the effects of heroin. He also boozes every day and the lady on the radio said it was out of boredom. Sher if he didn’t drink every day and spend his money on drugs surely over a 13 year period he could have saved up enough to get a gaff of his own if he really wanted to better himself!
Maybe in a perfect world Eddie but unfortunately it’s not that simple in many cases.
Eddie exactly. Would you give 2000 to someone on that? He could wind up in jail or dead next week. It’s horrible what happened to him those teens should be ashamed. Hopefully the radio station sorts out the accommodation for him and doesn’t hand him 2000. If I was handed 2000 five years ago I know what I would have done with it.I’m not blaming him, but addiction is a compulsion. It’s exactly the reason you should buy food or something for people who are begging not give them money, by giving money you are enabling them. With all the good intentions in the world, sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind.
Eddie, you make assumptions and judge without walking a mile in this mans shoes. I’m sure he does drink but maybe thats what gets him through. It doesn’t excuse what those teenagers did and with support this may well be a turning point in this mans life. I for one wish him luck.
There’s no way in 13 years he would come close to save for a house if he wasn’t working”
Good luck to this lad it sounds like he needed a bit of support. And just because someone on here has posted they have seen him “nod” once, means absolutely nothing and is completely unfair to assume it is because he is taking drugs.
Justin clearly not a house but to rent somewhere. He was on the radio last week saying he was kicked out of his house for having too many house parties. If u really wanted somewhere to live other than the streets you’d make a conscious decision to quit the booze and drugs
Carmel I said I see him always nodding not just once. U obviously don’t see him daily.
Oh right then. Take the money back lads, he was seen nodding. Get a grip
Nodding because he’s on heroin. It’s a massive problem in the city.
Do you think, Eddie, that maybe being tired because of the lack of a place to sleep might make you nod from time to time? Have you ever been exhausted? Probably not, but had you been do you think people should sneer and suggest you are on heroin?
Saw on old man nodding on a bench in Stephen’s Green earlier, must be on heroin. Moron!
I heard recently he lost his house due to his drug addiction so he’s still on the streets begging.. mind you even when he did have his house he was still begging everyday…
Hope it’s a happy ending for him
“To buy a paper”
What is the problem Niall?
That sort of judging attitude keeps people down on their luck down.
Victim blaming is here to stay apparently
Stay classy Niall.
Yeah and handing an addict 2000 could kill them or land them in jail but it wouldn’t be you’d fault would it. He hasn’t been homeless for 13 years for no reason. There are places to go in Cork you just are not allowed in if using drugs. I’m not blaming him for his situation but handing him 2000 is not a good idea. I really hope it works out for him.
What the money is being used for is clearly outlined in the article
Maybe he was ordering the next edition of Horse And Hound while he was down there was he?
It’s good to see that there are still good people doing good deeds and not everyone is as deeply cynical as Niall is.
Oh shut up Niall.
Are people really suggesting that because someone is homeless they shouldn’t buy a newspaper. Yes the article clearly outlined what the money is for. Micheal is the person who lost what was effectively his home and his possessions yet he is being judged and not they young people in our society who thought it was ok to do this. I say best of luck Micheal and if it doesn’t work out please god it will someday. Keep buying the paper educating ones self is one way of keeping the bigotry and narrow mindedness that is evident in these comments at bay !
Niall go do your attention seeking somewhere else. Well done to the cork people.
Your the kind of lad that would save a drowning man by throwing him a stone ,NIall
I apologise for using the word ‘save’ .
Niall, never look down on a person unless you’re helping them up.
The homeless wrap themselves in newspapers on cold nights for insulation, you clueless dick.
Me thinks Niall has a major chip . But I suppose that’s what happens when you join fg .
It took a few low life animals to burn the chaps tent and belongings before people had a collection and raised two grand yet it costs on average 70k a year to house a prisoner in Ireland ..
Why is he buying a paper? He could have put that euro towards a 100% mortgage
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