Brandon Scott
As we have just emerged from the turn-of-year celebrations, I thought it fitting to end on a more positive note that’s in keeping with the season.
We live in a time where not even the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins, will mention the indisputable reason for the season. Contained on the official Christmas card released by President Higgins and his wife Sabina this year were the words “Peace & Love on Earth” and “Goodwill to All”. I suppose it’s nothing overly shocking given that many who recognise the season for what is truly is have grown conditioned to scant reference to why we celebrate it in the first place.
This is why it makes the previous Christmas/New Year comments from Taoisigh all the more remarkable because there is one conspicuous trend; they all directly mention the now-taboo word “Christmas”.
Former Taoiseach John Bruton, a man renowned for his “instinctive, reflective” Catholicism at his funeral last year, responded to St Pope John Paul II’s New Year’s message by highlighting some of its content and how it contextually fitted in to the social and political landscape, north and south, at the time.
Responding to the message, Bruton said “His Holiness states that violence can no longer be tolerated and that ‘work for peace … must affect people’s hearts and appeal to a new awareness of human dignity’.
“These are words that have a deep resonance and meaning for us in Ireland today”.
A year before in 1993 saw an even greater affirmation of the words of the Pope from an Irish Taoiseach, this time it was Albert Reynolds hailing the Pope’s message, who wrote that its emphasis on the family is “in conformity with Irish ideals”.
“The Pope also sees the family as interfacing directly with society,” he wrote. “Reaching out to those experiencing hardship. These thoughts are in conformity with Irish ideals. The family is protected in the Constitution. Irish people are known the over for family loyalty, so well illustrated by our celebrations over the Christmas period.
“I believe also that we are easily receptive to the Pope’s message about families and peace. The New Year message from Pope John Paul II deserves a careful hearing from all of us.”
Inspiring words from former leaders that seem so alien now.