Michael Kelly
Irish bishops felt encouraged to face challenges by their Roman encounter, writes Michael Kelly
It’s easy to dismiss the traditional ad limina visits that bishops make to Rome as out-dated. In an age of email and instant messaging, it hardly seems necessary for bishops from all over the world to travel to Rome every five years to furnish a report on their dioceses. But, as well as ignoring the spiritual significance of the bishops’ January 15-25 pilgrimage to Rome, face-to-face meeting allow for a greater dialogue.
The bishops have spent most of their time in Rome visiting the various dicasteries of the Roman Curia and meeting with officials about topics as diverse as the place of women in the Church, the right to life, vocations and immigration.
Undoubtedly, the highlight was Friday morning’s two-hour meeting with Pope Francis. Archbishop Eamon Martin summed up the sentiment when he told the Pope: “It is very special for us to have this opportunity to meet and have a discussion with you.
“Holy Father, we bring you warm greetings of affection from the Catholic people of Ireland and thank you for the powerful witness you are giving to the world – and especially for your emphasis on mercy for those who are on the peripheries of Church and society,” the Primate of All-Ireland said.
Informal nature
At a press conference afterwards, the bishops made it clear that they appreciated the informal nature of the gathering. Archbishop Eamon described the meeting as “fascinating” and described it as a “conversation” with the Pope.
“What we have found since we’ve come to Rome, is a very open attitude,” Archbishop Eamon said. He described the various Vatican offices as being in “listening mode”, an atmosphere, he said, that continued with the Pope.
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, who was one of the few bishops who had been a previous ad limina visitor, described the meeting with the Pope as “quite extraordinary” in that the Pope presented no agenda. “He was challenging us, asking us ‘what is it like to be a bishop today in Ireland?’
“It was a very practical [meeting]. He told us we shouldn’t be ideological, we should meet people where they are,” Archbishop Martin said.
He said that the Pope encouraged the bishops to take things as they come “rather than trying to plan a big strategy”.
Dr Martin said that as a result of the meetings, the bishops “certainly didn’t come here with the impression that you were under investigation or accusation”, he said.
The Archbishop of Dublin revealed that the bishops had brought up the issue of the place of women in the Church at almost every meeting at the Vatican, including with Pope Francis. “There was certainly a willingness to listen and a recognition that we are asking valid questions, rather than something we should not talk about,” Dr Martin said.
He said Irish bishops are “quite concerned” about the role of women in the Church. “One of the groups that is most alienated in the Catholic Church in Ireland is young women who feel excluded, and therefore don’t take part,” he said.
Archbishop Eamon said the “big themes” from the bishops’ point of view was handing on the faith through the family and “the importance of our engagement with people where they are at in their family situations and encouraging them to play their part in the Church.
“We were very conscious that Ireland is in a time of transition in terms of the faith”. He said that many of the things the Church in the past took for granted such as large numbers of vocations and high Mass attendance were no longer a reality. But, he said this meant that the Church is “more than ever called to bring the message of faith in to the public sphere in a new and inviting way”.
He said that the Pope encouraged the bishops to work hard to help people who feel disheartened to rediscover their relationship with Christ.
Bishop Denis Nulty of Kildare & Leighlin said that one of the things he will take away from the meetings is the fact that “we have to work with people on the margins of the Church and do our best to bring people with us”.
All bishops were conscious that, with a pep in their step, the real work now begins in trying to translate the Pope’s vision to concrete reality.
The Archbishop of Dublin said that the end of the ad limina the bishops intend to stay in Rome for two days “ourselves, to try and analyse what emerged in our discussions. What are the things that we have to do much better, what are the things we haven’t really been addressing at all.
This is not simply a conversation with the various dicasteries, it’s a conversations among ourselves, a conversation which is developing and a conversation we will develop on those final two days going back to Ireland in a stronger position”.
Primate pays tribute to Martin McGuinness
Archbishop Eamon Martin has paid tribute to outgoing deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and confirmed that he has discussed the current political difficulties in the North with Pope Francis and other Vatican officials this in Rome this week.
“We did mention our concerns about the current situation in Northern Ireland with the collapse of the [political] institutions…and the calling of a snap election on March 2.
“We spoke [to the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States] about the importance of everyone in Northern Ireland stepping back from divisive language that would lead to people putting up barriers rather than building bridges”.
He also said that the bishops had updated the Pope about the current difficulties “and asked him to pray with us for bridge building”.
On the retirement of Mr McGuinness, Archbishop Eamon said: “He’s very much in our prayers, as is his family at this time. I personally acknowledge his friendship to me and his interest in my work, and I hope he will get well soon.
“He has made a major contribution to peace in Northern Ireland,” the Primate said.