Posted on 12/08/2017 6:33:13 PM PST by marshmallow
Archbishop accused of demoralising effect on priests
People who come to Mass “are a dying breed” the Archbishop of Dublin Dr Diarmuid Martin has said.
He said: “I could spend all my time being concerned about the people who come to church, but they’re — you know I don’t want to be nasty — but they’re a dying breed”. He was quoted in an article in The New York Times at the weekend about what the newspaper described as the ‘demise’ of the Catholic Church in Ireland.
A leading psychiatrist and commentator has warned that the archbishop’s description of Massgoers as a “dying breed” woud have a demoralising effect on hard-pressed priests working in parishes across the country.
Prof. Patricia Casey said that Dr Martin should be trying to “stimulate renewal on the ground in the Church in Ireland” rather than “constantly talking negatively”.
The UCD psychiatrist said “being relentlessly negative has a very demoralising effect on priests in parishes who are very hard-working and are really trying to connect with people.
“A person in leadership should be trying to facilitate and aid this work rather than speaking in an overly-negative way,” she said.
Prof. Casey said that she would encourage the archbishop to look to other parts of the world where the Church is better at connecting with young people and see if “that approach might work here too”.
She said that it’s very easy to “point to the shortcomings without offering any solutions.
(Excerpt) Read more at irishcatholic.com ...
One of the problems, as I understand it, is that in Ireland perdophelia was rampant in the past. The church/priesthood has to make amends and prove that this abysmal behavior has been eliminated.
One big reason they’re a “dying breed” is bishops like him.
In my opinion Catholicism is so culturally entrenched in Ireland that it has become a target of rebellion against the norm. There will come a time when the comfort of the norm, and more importantly, the substance of life with meaning beyond oneself, calls many home. There are seasons to life.
The only Catholics left in Ireland are the Polish immigrants.
I've known for some time that the Ireland of my ancestors is dead.
Poland won’t go down without a fight.
“One big reason they’re a “dying breed” is bishops like him.”
Exactly! What a jackass.
“Poland won’t go down without a fight.”
Yes! God bless them.
Yet we have come a long way from Supermarket Shelves exploding in innocent faces. Only to be replaced by islam terror.
God bless the Poles!
Rii-ight!
Don't focus on the faithful, who are actually attending church. That seems like a good strategy!
Regards,
Irish Catholics Are a ‘Dying Breed’
—
‘Irish’ mussulmen on the other hand ...
My brother’s Irish expat in-laws say that joining the E.U. led Ireland down a secular moral sewer pipe.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.