Dear Editor, In his address to the Holy Father on the occasion of the Pope’s recent visit to Ireland, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar delivered a master-class in state diplomacy and political expediency.
However, while acknowledging the validity of some of Mr Varadkar’s statements, the overriding tenor of his speech was anything but edifying; more a master-class in political astuteness in which the Taoiseach failed to mention his government’s failure to adequately deal with the pressing social issues of homelessness and poor medical services etc., focusing instead on the portrayal of an Ireland where its people have come of age and where same-sex marriage and abortion have been enshrined in law as choices of an enlightened democratic people.
There can be little doubt that the Holy Father would have reservations about Mr Varadkar’s comments after witnessing the heroic attempts of Dublin’s Capuchin friars to feed the inner-city poor and homeless. The Holy Father would have been acutely aware that these unfortunates were a microcosm of the real plight of those marginalised in Mr Varadkar’s utopian society.
Mr Varadkar’s moralistic stance fooled nobody, and it certainly did not fool the Holy Father, who I have no doubt was alert to the underlying objective of the Taoiseach who asserted that the Catholic Church would “remain important” in the Irish State, provided it “changed”, a comment which would seem to lead to the inference that the Catholic Church should embrace change that would compromise Catholic doctrine. What breathtaking arrogance!
Yours etc.,
Ernest McCarthy,
Mornington,
Co. Meath.
Sub-standard journalism confusing the issue
Dear Editor, I was frustrated and upset in equal measure by RTE’s Morning Ireland of August 23 where the presenter spoke of the “nearly 800 babies whose bodies had been dumped in a septic tank” in Tuam a completely matter-of-fact way.
This claim is without substantiation.
The public inquiry report says: “The Commission has not yet determined what the purpose of this structure was but it appears to be related to the treatment / containment of sewage and / or waste water. The Commission has also not yet determined if it was ever used for this purpose.” (emphasis added)
With regard to the bodies being “dumped”, Philip Boucher-Hayes – an RTE Investigative reporter – has written about how one Mary Moriarty told him about falling into the crypt when the ground subsided. This happened in the 1970s. When she and others investigated, he wrote, “she discovered a large underground space with shelves from floor to ceiling stacked with infant bodies”. She saw, she told him, “in excess of 100 tiny figures swaddled and guessed from the size they were newborn or stillborn”.
This suggests that the underground structure was a burial crypt in which large numbers of bodies were interred. The shelves and swaddling indicate that this was done in a respectful manner, quite different from the remains being “dumped”.
Furthermore an Irish Times article from June 7, 2014, quotes Tuam historian Catherine Corless as follows: “I never used that word ‘dumped’. I never said to anyone that 800 bodies were dumped in a septic tank. That did not come from me at any point. They are not my words.”
It is one thing for the Church to account for its grave failings in child welfare. It is another thing entirely to have to account for such sub-standard journalism.
Yours etc.,
Fr Morty O’Shea, SOLT,
Ardaghey, Co Donegal.
Now comes the action…
Dear Editor, Now that the dust has settled after the papal visit to Ireland, perhaps it’s time in our own parishes and families to reflect on how to move forward. The Pope’s visit rejuvenated the zeal of Catholics here, but now it’s up to us to respond to his wise words.
Yours etc.,
Breda McCarthy,
Tallaght, Dublin 24.
More than meets the eye to low turnout
Dear Editor, Those disappointed by the relatively low turn-out at the Papal Mass should ponder the real reasons for this. Right from the start it seems that the organisers, wittingly or unwittingly, tried to dissuade rather than persuade the faithful to come. The whole emphasis was on how far people would have to walk.
A long list of forbidden items, e.g. mobility scooters, wheelchairs, large prams, large umbrellas, large folding chairs etc seemed intended to discourage all age groups as did the insistence on using the longest possible walking routes around the park to reach the corrals. The final straw was however the insistence on having a ticket, particularly as tickets were not issued to many who had been given booking reference no. but no ticket despite emails to WMOF and the ticketing agency employed.
I had to get a ticket from my parish, made my way to the corral and section allocated but not one of my fellow parishioners was in that area. Unbelievably parish tickets were allocated to different corrals. Even more unbelievable was that four members of the same family from same address were given two tickets for one Gate, two or another miles away from the address.
As one WMOF attendee who was also given a ticket with a gate far away from her address said, “it was as if those allocating tickets had no idea of the geography of the area”.
I think the organisers realised that a mess had been made of the ticket allocation and this is why tickets were not scanned. It would have been a courtesy to tell those who had let them know that they had not got their tickets that they would not need a ticket.
It would be a courtesy now for the organizers to apologise to all those prevented from attending by not being issued with a ticket for whatever reason. Given the circumstances the miracle is that so many attended.
Yours etc.,
Ann Kehoe,
Castleknock, Dublin 15.
Post Francis, it is time for us to take courage
Dear Editor, It may take many of us some time to digest the experience of Pope Francis’ visit to Ireland for the World Meeting of Families. So much happened in such a short time. The highlights for me included: witnessing my children get so excited in seeing Pope Francis in his ‘Popemobile’ in the Phoenix Park, some of the speakers I heard at the RDS were inspirational, it was nice too to see so many overseas priests and religious confidently wearing their religious attire, and RTÉ’s live television coverage was excellent and I look forward to watch many moments recorded again.
While appreciating the right for people to protest about past Church failings, I do feel there was a nasty anti-Catholic Church element to some of the protest. But on reflection I do think there is an opportunity now for practicing Catholics and those in ministry, like the apostles at Pentecost, to take courage and be confident again in expressing their Faith openly in our loving God.
Yours etc.,
Frank Browne,
Templeogue, Dublin 16.
Hopefully we won’t have to wait another 39 years for papal return
Dear Editor, What a wonderful privilege it was to have Pope Francis visit our shores! Such a humble, sincere and kind man who shares his warm and generous spirit with everyone he meets and greets. The Festival of Families in Croke Park was a wonderful occasion for so many Irish and International families to come together and celebrate the joy of being a family. The performers, musicians and artists were all outstanding and the Pope’s speech very apt and relevant to family life today.
Thousands of people, including myself, enjoyed the Papal Mass in the Phoenix Park. The humility and empathy of Pope Francis at the beginning of Mass in particular, was a beacon of hope and a ray of light despite the grey skies above. His very busy schedule did not deter him from displaying a calm, embracing radiance in every action and gesture he performed and his genuine concern for the poor and marginalised in society was evident in his speeches to us all. The unforgettable memory of the Pope’s visit will undoubtedly remain in many Irish hearts and memories long after he returns home, and hopefully we won’t have to wait another 39 years for the next one!
Yours etc.,
Aisling Bastible,
Clontarf, Dublin 3.