A recent Associated Press article reports on Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin's appeal for an investigation into the Catholic Church's mistreatment and burial of babies who died decades ago in nun-operated homes for unmarried mothers. Martin's statement came after revelations that hundreds of children had died inside a former church-run residence for infants in Tuam, County Galway, and had been buried in unmarked graves. Archbishop Martin recommended the inquiry be led by a judge and have no church involvement.

According to the AP article, the homes where abuse occurred were for Irish unwed mothers and their newborns, most of which operated from the 1920s to 1960s. Typically the women's families shamed/rejected them because of their pregnancies. Babies born inside the institutions were denied baptism, and if they died (and many did because illness and disease were common), were not given a Christian burial.

Martin said the probe should be extended to all mother and baby institutions, not just Tuam, and should also explore allegations that children were sold illegally to families overseas. The subject of forced adoptions in Ireland was featured in the movie "Philomena," which was discussed in a posting on this blog 16 January 2014.