Paul KeenanDear Editor, The recent episode of The Meaning of Life with Enda Kenny was significant in that his lack of knowledge and belief of the primary things which Jesus taught us through his parables and in the prayers he gave us.
This lack of knowledge of the basic tenets of Christianity by Mr Kenny (a professional teacher of religion in a Catholic school) and indeed by the general Catholic population may also be the main reason for the falling off of religious practice, including church attendance which has been manifesting itself in recent times and the failures of the teaching authorities of the Church for this, rather than the issues associated with the cover-up of sexual abuse of young people, as is popularly believed by many.
While the cover-up of sexual and other abuse by Church leadership and the failure to complete the investigations and reports into outstanding dioceses and finally relegate this matter to history has made and continues to make newspaper headlines and reduces the credibility of our Church leadership, it is the failure to teach the basic Christian message over several years that has primarily led to the growing drift away from religious practice.
It is this basic failure by the teaching authorities of the Church to teach the more fundamental issues of Christian doctrine and to see to it that this teaching is presented in a simple way as Jesus did, rather than in the authoritative stance and scripts which a number of pastoral ministers at local level are currently expressing difficulty.
The failure to ‘teach all nations’ using the new commandments which Jesus taught his disciples – “love God above all things and your neighbour as yourself” – as now emphasised by Pope Francis, should be noted by those Christian teachers and preachers who have failed to enlighten themselves about real Christianity and teach us as Jesus taught us.
Yours etc.,
John Power,
Drumcondra,
Dublin 9.