Mags GarganDear Editor, The forthcoming Synod on the Family called by Pope Francis, which is mandated to come to terms with the challenges facing contemporary families, is dominated by bishops and cardinals with a few lay people included as observers.
However, Ireland’s representation at this important gathering consists of Archbishop Diarmuid Martin and an ‘observer’ sister of the Holy Family of Bordeaux.
The uniqueness of this Irish delegation is that there is no married family person to represent the day-to-day issues facing Irish families. All other national observer delegations have married family people among them.
The secretive selection process operated by the Vatican is outrageous and an insult to every Irish Catholic family struggling to living out their Christian commitment on a daily basis, that no one could be found throughout the length and breadth of Ireland to represent them.
It seems that Pope Francis’ call for an all-inclusive Church has yet again fallen on deaf ears among his clerical hierarchs in Rome. Even though Archbishop Diarmuid Martin claims to have had nothing to do with the selection process, maybe even at this late stage he would represent the interests of Irish Catholic families and call on Rome to recognise Irish family life as being the foundation of not alone the Church but society.
Yours etc.,
Brendan Butler,
Malahide,
Co. Dublin.