Pressure mounts for end to church gate collections

Pressure is mounting on political parties to put an end to church gate collections.

Urging politicians to be “consistent” and not to “pressurise” Mass-goers, Bishop Phoncie Cullinan encouraged political parties to “find alternative sources” of fundraising.

The new Bishop of Waterford and Lismore warned that many people were “annoyed” at political parties collecting money outside churches despite holding views “which directly oppose” Church teaching “on such vital and basic matters as the right to life and the nature of marriage”.

“People should be consistent. The parties involved should find alternative sources,” Bishop Phoncie told The Irish Catholic.

The bishops remarks come after the Diocese of Elphin questioned why some political parties are fundraising at local church gates.

In a statement, the West of Ireland diocese which is led by Bishop Kevin Doran suggested that those political parties which have “consistently advocated policies and introduced legislation which undermine marriage and the right to life of the unborn” should think again before holding church gate collections.

No obligation

While noting that there is “no obligation” on any political party to support the Church or to legislate in accordance with Church teaching, the statement said it was “rather lacking in respect” for people’s faith “that political parties which have consistently advocated policies and introduced legislation which undermine marriage and the right to life of the unborn, should turn up outside our Church gates, Sunday after Sunday to ask Mass-goers to fund their activities”. Acknowledging that political parties are legally entitled to do so, the diocese suggested that “common decency would suggest that they go and collect somewhere else”.

While Fine Gael would not comment specifically on the Diocese of Elphin’s stance, a spokesperson told The Irish Catholic that local constituencies and branches arrange Church gate collections “with the civil authorities and use their own discretion in liaising with local Churches”.

A Fianna Fáil spokesperson said that wherever the party conducts collections, “it does so with the relevant permits issued by An Garda Síochána”.