Archbishop calls on 
Irish Church to 
be more ‘forceful’

Irishman and former Archbishop of Pretoria in South Africa William Slattery has said the Irish Church should be more “forceful, more self-confident” in spreading the Good News, as it’s shifted away from “being close to people”.

Returning home last month, Archbishop William (Liam) Slattery OFM said the Church is hugely important for community and has a lot to offer, but it can be a “battle” to get this message across, particularly in the Western world.

Archbishop Slattery’s resignation was accepted by Pope Francis in late April this year, the Franciscan missionary spent 49 years in South Africa working among the poor, through apartheid and severe political unrest. Dr Slattery was born in Portlaoise but grew up in Tipperary, he returned to Ireland last month.

Speaking to The Irish Catholic he said: “I think the Church in Ireland will have to be more forceful, more self-confident and also do what it does well, be close to the people, maybe over the last number of years it’s shifted a bit; not close enough to the people.”

He said that the Church is more limited, saying “in the past the Church did everything”.

The child abuse crisis, he says, is “absolutely devastating”, and hits at the very meaning of Christianity which is “care, blessing, hope, healing”.

“I think the Church has to do that, it has to be courageous and imaginative responding to people, helping people to heal, go out there and talk to people even though you will get criticism.

“The Church depends on community, when community gets weak, churches get weak because we grow strong not only through knowledge but you meet God through belonging. Where there is a strong sense of belonging God is not far away.”

Read our Feature ‘ Opposing apartheid and building South Africa’s Church‘ by Chai Brady