Catholic Primate of All Ireland Archbishop Eamon Martin is to call this afternoon for the development of a new relationship between his church and the media characterised by mutual respect and trust.
In an address to the Radharc television awards ceremony in Dublin, he praised what he calls the "vitally important role" the Irish and global media have played in exposing child sexual abuse inside the Catholic Church.
According to his speaking notes, he also criticised some unidentified commentators, particularly on social media, for failing to objectively question stories, and for publishing instead "their consensus caricature of the Church".
Archbishop Eamon Martin recalled 35 years of output on RTÉ by what he called the "radical" Catholic television documentary unit of the same name on a wide spectrum of contemporary issues from ethics at home to liberation theology abroad.
He called for the development of a new relationship between his church and the media characterised by mutual respect and trust and not based on fawning or deferential attitudes.
He praised what he calls the "vitally important role" the Irish and global media have played in exposing child sexual abuse inside the Catholic Church which he calls a "terrible and shameful chapter of Church history".
He praised the media for giving a voice to survivors who for years had been carrying a lonely trauma and for accelerating the significant improvement in safeguarding of children, both in the Church and throughout society.
But he will also criticise some unidentified commentators, particularly on social media, for failing to objectively question stories, and for publishing instead "their consensus caricature of the Catholic Church".
It is eight weeks since Archbishop Eamon Martin succeeded Cardinal Sean Brady as Archbishop of Armagh and leader of the Irish Catholic Church.
