The Archbishop of Canterbury feels "deep sorrow and regret for difficulties" caused by his statement that the Catholic Church in Ireland has lost "all credibility" because of its mishandling of abuse by priests, his office said Saturday.
Rowan Williams' comments came d uring an interview with the BBC about the crisis engulfing the Irish Catholic Church in which he said the sex abuse allegations had been a "colossal trauma" for Ireland in particular.
"I was speaking to an Irish friend recently who was saying that it's quite difficult in some parts of Ireland to go down the street wearing a clerical collar now," Williams told the BBC. "And an institution so deeply bound into the life of a society, suddenly becoming, suddenly losing all credibility — that's not just a problem for the church, it is a problem for everybody in Ireland, I think."
The interview with Williams, recorded March 26, is to be aired Monday on the BBC's "Start the Week" program. His remarks were part of a general discussion of religion to mark Easter.
It was the first time Williams, the spiritual leader of the Church of England, had spoken publicly on the matter. The remarks come ahead of a planned visit to England and Scotland by Pope Benedict XVI later this year.
Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said he had "rarely felt personally so discouraged" as when he heard Williams' remarks.
"I have been more than forthright in addressing the failures of the Catholic Church in Ireland. I still shudder when I think of the harm that was caused to abused children. I recognize that their church failed them," a statement, posted on the archdiocese's Web site, said. "Those working for renewal in the Catholic Church in Ireland did not need this comment on this Easter weekend and do not deserve it."
After his comments were made public, Williams telephoned Martin to insist he meant no offense to the Catholic Church in Ireland.
"The Archbishop had no intention of criticizing or attacking the Catholic Church as a whole," Williams' spokesperson said. "The church in Ireland continues to work tirelessly to deal with the scandal of abuse."
Strained relations
Relations between the two churches were strained last year after the Vatican invited conservative Anglicans to join the Catholic Church. How many will take up the offer is still unknown.
"I don't think it's going to be a big deal for the Church of England, I must say," Williams said. "I think there'll be a few people who will take advantage of it — and they'll take advantage of it because they believe they ought to be in communion with the bishop of Rome. And I can only say fine, God bless them."
Williams said he would meet with the pope at Lambeth Palace, that he would be welcomed as "as a valued partner, and that's about it."
In the interview, Williams said Christian institutions, faced with the choice of self-protection or revealing potentially damaging secrets, have decided to keep quiet to preserve their credibility.
"We've learned that that is damaging, it's wrong, it's dishonest and it requires that very hard recognition ... which ought to be natural for the Christian church based as it is on repentance and honesty," he said.