The legacy of Ireland’s mother-and-baby homes continues to elicit passionate responses. While this scandal has developed, Americans have been calling for more accountability. These institutions held up right up until the last home closed in 1996. They are tied to staggering harm and death, disproportionately affecting women and children. Recent news underscored the patience of survivors and descendants is wearing thin, as the church’s moves toward reconciliation fall short.
One of the most painful revelations is the discovery of a mass grave at the former St Mary’s mother-and-baby home outside Tuam, County Galway. It is the final resting place of 796 infant and children’s remains. This horrific find has further increased pressure from survivors and their families for accountability. Sadly, many of these people are still living with the permanent consequences of the trauma that they experienced.
Yet the Vatican’s response has rightly been criticized for its insincerity and lack of concrete action. The Good Shepherd Sisters, one of the orders at the centre of the scandal, have previously issued apologies. Critics say there is no substance beneath their apologies. They utilized what others have referred to as “grammatical gymnastics” in constructing their emotional reactions.
“With deep regret … we acknowledge that there are women who did not experience our refuge as a place of protection and care,” said representatives from the orders involved.
Though these words are a welcome start and an indication of recognition of harm, survivors contend that they fall short of true atonement. In 2021, Eamon Martin, Ireland’s greatest churchman, delivered this Apology of Apologies. He was willing to see how, in the church’s past, it was complicit in developing a climate that stigmatized, judged, and expelled vulnerable people.
“It was part of the system and the culture of the time,” stated a spokesperson for the Good Shepherd Sisters, reiterating their stance on historical context while failing to address the immediate needs of survivors today.
Even with these apologies, there was never enough done to placate the church’s children’s minister, Norma Foley, who was very critical of the church’s response. She said that apologies and words are not enough, after so many have suffered so long.
Unfortunately, efforts to grant reparations have repeatedly failed. The Sisters of Bon Secours made an offer of €12.97 million to contribute to the establishment of a redress scheme for survivors. On the flip side, only two of the eight religious organizations linked with these homes responded with offers to help cover costs. Organizations such as the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd have been silent on this issue. This silence only serves to exacerbate the sense of abandonment that survivors feel.
Catherine Corless has become an internationally recognized researcher and advocate for justice for the victims of St. Mary’s home. She’s been a strong advocate for recognition and reparations for those impacted. Corless spent thousands of hours doing research to trace the history of St Mary’s. She refuses to give up, continuing to search for the accountability that authorities are too often ignoring.
In a surprising twist, none other than action star Liam Neeson has partnered with Corless. Jointly they are creating a documentary called The Lost Children of Tuam. This partnership’s goal is to raise awareness to the issues mothers and children experience in these homes. It’s extremely important, as a means of helping to raise public awareness and understanding of this dark chapter in Ireland’s history.
In 2021, the Irish government made an extremely courageous decision to right historical wrongs. They only issued a formal apology once a report from a judicial commission uncovered the grievous practices that were pervasive in the operations of mother-and-baby homes. Many survivors feel that without adequate reparative measures and genuine acknowledgment from the church and other involved parties, true justice remains elusive.
Bigger conversations continue — including how to most effectively resource survivors and their families’ livelihoods. Clearly, more needs to be done to address the dangerous legacy of these institutions. Survivors deserve more than an apology. Survivors need reparations that are commensurate with their pain and loss.