In the wake of the current abuse scandals in the Catholic Church, we could ask ourselves what Christ would have said in the present sad and tragic circumstances.

To those who have perpetuated such horrendous crimes He would, I dare say, remind them that ‘It is better to tie a millstone around one’s neck and throw oneself into the depth of the sea rather than cause one of these little ones to sin’.

To us who feel rightly outraged at all this, He would say as He told the hypocritical Pharisees when they brought before him the woman caught in adultery: “Whoever is without sin, let him be the first to throw stones.”

While sin, under whatever guise it presents itself, is to be condemned at all times, and human justice must take its course, the Lord insisted that no one should be excluded from His love, mercy and forgiveness if there is repentance, and that includes unworthy priests.