Dear Editor, With the news that over 700 more refugees have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea, and the Irish Government is still doing nothing meaningful to confront the horrors that are taking place before our very eyes, the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, together with the superiors of the religious orders, must follow Pope Francis and lead the way in putting in place the means to take in 100,000 refugees without delay.
There is no organisation outside the Catholic Church that has the numbers of individuals within its ranks with the professional skills that the Church has. The vast majority of the people in the religious orders and within the Church have given lives of faithful service. Many are now retired but are in full health doing all sorts of ministries in parishes across the county. Church leaders must stand shoulder to shoulder with Pope Francis, get out from behind their desks and open up the doors of the many institutions that now lie idle, and with those from among its ranks – retired teachers, nurses and from the many other professions – lead us to do whatever is demanded of us.
If the hierarchy does the moral imperative, parishes across Ireland will follow and do as Pope Francis has asked of us.
Michael Moloney,
Portlaoise, Co. Laois.