Michael Kelly
The visit of Pope Francis this August will be a tremendous moment of grace for the Church in Ireland. It’s the first papal visit since the historic trip of St John Paul II in 1979 and only the second time that a Bishop of Rome has set foot on Irish soil.
Speaking at the ancient monastic site of Clonmacnois during his trip there in 1979, John Paul II recalled the long relationship between the Irish people and the Holy See. He said: “never forget the wonderful boast and commitment made by Saint Columban to [Pope] Boniface IV in Rome: ‘we Irish…are disciples of Saints Peter and Paul; we hold unbroken that Catholic faith which we first received from you’.”
John Paul II went on to say: “And in Ireland today, this Catholic faith is unbroken, alive and active. By the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the power of his grace, it can, and must, always be this way in Ireland”.
Testing times
These have been testing times for the faith in Ireland and yet, in 2018, the Church does remain alive and active – if more than a little bit bruised.
Many Irish people continue to value the Church and their faith and will have a warm welcome for the Successor of St Peter in August.
True, as Archbishop Eamon Martin said this week, there is disappointment that Francis will not visit the North – such a trip would’ve been a tremendously powerful symbol of reconciliation to a world all too used to conflict rather than resolutions. But, it’s time to put that disappointment to the side – the people of Ulster are well used to crossing the border to see their GAA teams in action in Croke Park, they can surely do the same for the Pope.
Catholics believe that the Pope is Christ’s vicar on earth – that’s why his apostolic trips to particular countries and Churches take on such a special character. Part of the mission entrusted to the Popes from St Peter onwards is to confirm the Faith of the people. Many Irish Catholics will be looking to Pope Francis for reassurance and comfort. They will want to hear words from the Pope about the terrible scandals in the Church, but also words of hope and inspiration for the road ahead.
Pope Francis has shown a remarkable ability to change the mood music in the Church and make people think of what is truly essential: the fact that God loves us and has a plan for our lives.
The visit of the Pope can be an appointed time – a kairos – to proclaim a new reform and renewal of the Church in Ireland. The Pope will remind us that we need to set aside a vision of the Church that is self-retrenching and embrace a mode of the Church that has ‘go out’ as the battle cry. A Church that meets the men and women of this time to convince them that the unchanging message of the Gospel has relevance for their lives. Only a Church that is in the public square rather than hiding in sacristies can reach out to a world in need of hope and healing. This will be central to the Pope’s message in Ireland – but it will be down to us all as laypeople, priests, religious and bishops to seize the momentum that the visit can bring.
Michael Kelly is co-author of a new book with Austen Ivereigh How to Defend the Faith – Without Raising Your Voice – available from Columba Press at www.columbabooks.com