Courtney McGrailDear Editor, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has warned that the Church in Ireland will only have a future if a new generation of “strong and articulate” lay people can make their voices heard (IC 30/07/2015). For that to happen we need to know our Faith, more so now than in the past, when society generally was more supportive of that Faith.
For this to happen, maybe new and improved catechetical structures need to be set up, as well as the provision of adult education facilities. But is there something we can do personally, to improve knowledge of our own Faith?
Take reference to the Catechism of the Catholic Church for instance, described by Pope St John Paul as “a sure and authentic reference text for teaching Catholic doctrine and particularly for preparing local catechisms”.
It is offered to every individual who asks us to give an account of the hope that is in us and who wants to know what the Catholic Church believes.
It contains within its pages a section on the Ten Commandments and in an introduction quotes the reply of Our Lord to the young man who put a question to him as to what he, the young man, should do to have eternal life. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.
And yet we know they are much ignored in today’s world. But to conclude on a positive note I refer to Ciara Ferry’s well written article (IC 30/07/2015) on Youth 2000. This organisation has been described by the papal nuncio, Archbishop Charles Brown as being “the future of the Church in Ireland”.
Yours etc.,
Patrick O’Neill, Killorglin, Co. Kerry.