Dear Editor, In regard to the incident on The Late Late Show two weeks ago where the Eucharist was openly mocked and ridiculed, it’s difficult to know what was the worst aspect of the whole sorry episode.
Was it the ignorance, the gratuitous contempt shown, the studied insult to those who actually pay to keep RTÉ afloat, the abuse of privilege, or was it the fact that only one priest stood up publicly, alone and isolated, to object and say “Stop! Enough is enough!”?
The level of indifference and fear and sheer cowardice among priests and senior members of the Catholic Church in the face of these attacks at the moment is quite extraordinary.
Is it an exaggeration to say that peaceful coexistence with even the worst enemies of Christ in society today seems to be the priority? Where is the witness and where is the leadership that’s needed now? Many seem to be just men of
straw!
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us, “Do not cast your pearls before swine, do not give dogs what is sacred lest they trample them underfoot and turn and tear you to pieces.”
He uses dogs and pigs as representative of those who would ridicule, reject and blaspheme the Gospel and sacred things and while the context is only slightly different with this incident, nevertheless all believers are obliged to counter these direct diabolical attacks in whatever way they can and seek redress.
Doing nothing is not an option because history abounds with examples of where sustained mockery and ridicule first precede incitement to hatred and then when – the climate is right open – violence inevitably soon follows.
So, what can people do? Well, every parish in every diocese now has a pastoral council so a suitable structure or network is in place to collect signatures and register disapproval to demand an apology and that the offending remarks be withdrawn.
Again, it’s all down to leadership and witness.
Yours etc.,
M. O Riada,
Tralee, Co. Kerry.