The Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All-Ireland, Dr Seán Brady, has said as a church leader, he cannot adequately apologise to victims of clerical child abuse.
While nothing can make up for the terrible wrongs that have been done to victims of abuse he said they can be assured of his absolute determination to try to change things for the better.
Speaking at a Mass for people, deceased and living, who were in Ireland's industrial schools he said he was doing "all in my power" to make the church a life-giving, joyful and safe place for children is my deep desire and a key priority.
The Mass, organised by Right of Place, a support group for people who were in such institutions, took place on Saturday at St Joseph's church, Wilton, Cork city and was attended by the Bishop of Cork and Ross, Dr John Buckley.
The archbishop was applauded as he arrived and at the end of his sermon.
In that sermon, he said: "I am pleased that in God's providence, one of my first duties now is to celebrate this Mass of remembrance for the deceased and living members of the industrial schools in Ireland," he said.
"When I think of what some children have gone through, what some of you have gone through, I feel compelled to continue, to the best of my human ability, to understand why these things happened and to work with others to put them right."
"As we go forward, every member of the Catholic community must see it as their fundamental duty to care for and safeguard children. As leaders of the church, we, as religious superiors must do all in our power to facilitate the structures that will support this culture of safeguarding. But every person, in every parish, has a role to play," he said.
"With the assistance of the new chief executive officer of our national board, Ian Elliott, and the whole Catholic community working as a family together, this is the task which the bishops, Cori and the Irish Missionary Union seek to take forward. We are compelled to do so by the memory of those for whom this Mass is being offered," he added.
l The archbishop forcefully responded to comments by former taoiseach Garret FitzGerald that the celibacy of bishops "must have contributed to the cover up" of clerical child sex abuse.
Speaking to RTÉ on Saturday, he said: "I speak as a priest and an uncle. I love my nephews and my niece very much. I also speak as a past teacher of children. I spent many years teaching them, training them as footballers, leaving them home, and to say that I wouldn't care, was not sensitive to their needs . . . I find it hard to understand".
