( CNN ) -- The head of the Anglican church expressed regret Saturday for comments he made about the Irish Catholic Church , which included saying that the Irish Catholic Church has lost `` all credibility '' following the abuse scandal , his press office said . In an interview to be broadcast Monday , Archbishop Rowan Williams called the issue `` a colossal corporate trauma '' for the Catholic Church , especially in Ireland . `` An institution so deeply bound in to the life of society suddenly becoming -- suddenly losing all credibility , '' said Williams , the head of the Church of England . `` That 's not just a problem for the church , it 's a problem for everybody in Ireland , I think . '' Diarmuid Martin , the archbishop of Dublin , said he was `` stunned '' and `` discouraged '' by Williams ' remarks . Pope 's preacher compares abuse fury to anti-Semitism . Later Saturday , Williams and Martin spoke by telephone and the Archbishop of Canterbury expressed regret that the comments were made , Lambeth Palace 's press office told CNN . `` The church itself continues to work tirelessly to tackle the issue of abuse , '' the office said . It was not immediately clear how Martin responded . Williams made the comments about the Irish Catholic Church on the BBC radio program `` Start the Week , '' airing Monday , as part of a general discussion about religion . Ireland has been rocked by a series of child abuse reports , both physical and sexual , by Catholic clergy going back at least seven decades . In his statement Saturday , Martin said that he has addressed the reports . `` As Archbishop of Dublin , I have been more than forthright in addressing the failures of the Catholic Church in Ireland , '' Martin said in a statement . `` I still shudder when I think of the harm that was caused to abused children . I recognise that their Church failed them . '' However , Martin added that priests and parents are working to renew the Irish Catholic Church and remain committed to the faith . `` Archbishop Williams ' comments will be for them immensely disheartening and will challenge their faith even further , '' Martin 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 . '' A recent Irish government-backed report found the Archdiocese of Dublin and other Irish Catholic church authorities covered up abuse by priests from 1975 to 2004 , and that child sexual abuse was widespread then . Two Irish bishops have resigned over the scandal , and Pope Benedict XVI issued a pastoral letter to the Irish church last month saying he was deeply sorry for the abuse . In his letter , the pope said `` misplaced concern '' for the Catholic Church 's reputation and the avoidance of scandal contributed to the problems . Williams said that has been a lesson for the Anglican church as well . `` I guess that for an awful lot of Christian institutions , until fairly recently , the default setting would be , 'We 've got to try and hang on to the institution 's credibility , ' '' Williams told the BBC . `` 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 . `` We 've had to learn , well , honesty and truthfulness are the only way in which we can survive in any way as an institution . '' The pope plans to visit England and Scotland in September , but Williams said that will not be a `` big deal '' for the Church of England . `` The pope will be coming here to Lambeth Palace , '' Williams told the BBC , referring to the archbishop 's historic London residence . `` We 'll have the bishops together to meet him . I 'm concerned that he has a chance to say what he wants to say in and to British society , that we welcome him as a valued partner , and that 's about it . '' It will be the pope 's first state visit to the United Kingdom , according to the British Foreign Office . A 1982 trip by Pope John Paul II was officially a pastoral visit . Relations between the Anglican and Catholic churches have been strained following the Vatican 's outreach to disaffected Anglicans last year . The plan would enable groups of Anglicans to become Catholic and recognize the pope as their leader , yet have parishes that retain Anglican rites , Vatican officials said . Some observers said the Vatican 's move would shatter more than 40 years of efforts to reconcile the two churches . The move came 475 years after King Henry VIII broke from Rome and created the Church of England , the forerunner of the Anglican Communion .
NEW : Archbishop Rowan Williams apologizes for saying Archbishop Rowan Williams as lost `` all credibility '' in scandal . Recent Anglican government-backed report found Irish Catholic Church covered up abuse by priests . two Irish bishops have resigned over the scandal and John Paul II has apologized .