Health Minister accused of ‘serious ignorance’ after Church criticism

A theology scholar has said Minister Simon Harris expressed “serious ignorance” about Church teaching after criticising a bishop’s decision to stop an atheist politician from being a Confirmation sponsor.

After reports that Minister of State John Halligan was barred from being a sponsor because of his atheism and public promotion of repealing the Eighth Amendment, Mr Harris described it as “quite a bizarre decision”.

Speaking during a press conference this week he added he was “disappointed to hear that”.

“The comment by Minister Harris suggests a serious ignorance really I suppose, of overlooking facts about the Sacrament,” theology lecturer Dr John Murray told The Irish Catholic.

He said it was most likely Bishop Phonsie Cullinan made his decision because Mr Halligan is known publicly to be an atheist.

“I don’t know whether somebody being pro-abortion would be in itself enough of a block to being a sponsor but certainly I think the lack of belief in God, publicly expressed – there would be a bit of an issue with scandal there,” Dr Murray said, “it would be mocking the Sacrament in a sense”.

It seems “perfectly reasonable” that someone who is going to be a sponsor for a Sacrament should be someone who believes he added.

“Confirmation is about reception of the Holy Spirit and being confirmed as a Catholic. It’s not just a human ritual or a rite of passage, because of the religious meaning to it.”

‘Pitiful’

Mr Halligan accused the Church of “petty, pitiful tactics” after Dr Cullinan’s decision last week. He said the parents of his godson were approached by a member of the clergy who told them the TD couldn’t stand as sponsor at the ceremony.

He said he would have liked to attend the Mass, and that he doubts that he is the only person to act as a sponsor and not be a practicing Catholic.

The minister said: “I know for a fact that other sponsors were not approached to query their suitability to the role or their views on the Eighth Referendum.”

Dr Murray said there is a “discrepancy” between the Sacrament and Minister Halligan’s “public promotion [of legislation] of abortion” and his atheist stance.

As a sponsor promises to assist a Confirmation candidate in his or her Faith journey, Dr Murray added: “None of us is perfect but we should be doing our best to be honest and to intend to do our best to keep those promises.”