Cardinal Sean Brady has called for protests against the upcoming move to liberalize abortion laws in Ireland.
In his Christmas message the cardinal stated, “Public representatives will be asked to decide whether a caring and compassionate society is defined by providing the best possible care and protection to a woman struggling to cope with an unwanted pregnancy or by the deliberate destruction of another human life."
“I hope that everyone who believes that the right to life is fundamental will make their voice heard in a reasonable, but forthright, way to their representatives, reminding them that the “There is no more important value than upholding the right to life in all circumstances.”
He also spoke on the issue of welfare reform and its impact on poor children.
“I believe this failure to prioritise the elimination of child and family poverty in the reform of the tax and welfare system, in any jurisdiction, is unworthy of a society which claims to have a paramount concern for children,” he said.
Cardinal Brady said he understood the tough times people are in and said it can address our need for meaning and purpose in life.
“Unprecedented financial pressures, and an ever-increasingly aggressive public culture, along with social, moral and spiritual fragmentation, are leading to lives being overwhelmed by stress, intolerable interior isolation and even quiet despair,” he said.
“We can, and should, do better than this in striving to create a society truly worthy of the dignity of the human person.
“It would have to be a society in which the emotional, moral and religious as well as the economic needs are met. The consequences of failing to cater for those needs can be tragic.”
31 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.stanJames | Dec 31, 2012, 12:24 AM EST
Meanwhile at least here in America the church has been on a rampage against extending the statue of limitations re compensation to help all the children broken due to its sex starve priests . Made even worse thanks to the heirarchy who hid these vile crimes. Not just to protect the money flow but prob because the hierarchy did the same thing.
seanomelb | Dec 28, 2012, 05:25 PM EST
It's grand to be an atheist I can rise above all this religious bickering.
barneyjo | Dec 27, 2012, 11:33 AM EST
@michaelreddish - Cardinal Brady is personally responsible for broken bodies, broken minds, broken spirits and worst of all, broken souls. Is it just me that would find it difficult to associate speaking the "truth in love" with this man or indeed any man? And you are quite right in your assertion that you cannot hide from the truth; and that applies just as much to Cardinal Brady as it does to you and I!! My (our) Father in Heaven sees all and that is something I never forget.
Michael Reddish | Dec 27, 2012, 09:30 AM EST
Cardinal Brady speaks the truth in love on the issue of abortion. The radical left does not like this. Well, get used to it. You cannot hide from the truth to have your own narcissistic way.
barneyjo | Dec 27, 2012, 07:07 AM EST
@Smyrnian - merely re-emphasising the fact that a)I am against abortion and b)my reference to the absence of any moral authority on the part of Cardinal Brady on this or any other social matter is a valid observation. I believe you did reference my comments on the Cardinal's failings in relation to the activities and offences of pedophile priest offenders.
CaptainCon | Dec 27, 2012, 04:59 AM EST
The man featured in this article should not be lecturing anyone on ethics at any time. He ddoesn't even have the basic ethical judgement to say he should have resigned when his part in the cover up of child abuse in Ireland by clerics was revealed. Only in Ireland could a hopeless clown like this present himself as some kind of an expert on ethics.
Smyrnian | Dec 27, 2012, 12:08 AM EST
Barneyjo - I never mentioned a thing about Cardinal Brady one way or another. Eiriamach - WKnee is an angry soul. I tried to tell him recently what most of us know well, angry retorts and personal attacks destroy ones credibility. Completely discredits his position on each topic by doing this but he does not see it. Too bad, really.
The Commentator | Dec 26, 2012, 09:52 PM EST
WoundedKnee, The cardinal is not expressing an opinion as a citizen, he is expressing an opinion on behalf of the Catholic Church and many of us Catholics do not want him to do that because he is part of the problem in the church, not part of the solution. The church hierarchy should be concentrating all their efforts in ridding the Catholic Church of the pedophile priest criminals and their cohorts who covered up their crimes. Perhaps once that is accomplished, the church hierarchy can be empowered to voice church policies among the parishioners without being hypocrites. Although the churches have beliefs, those beliefs should be promoted within the church and if the message is effective, their parishioners will follow those beliefs. We don't want to go back to the past where a religion had a huge influence on the laws of the land to the detriment of other faiths. Most religions have the same basic beliefs as far as living a decent life without inflicting harm on others. It is the radicals within various religions that espouse hate against other religions. Just look at the origins and see how similar the beliefs are and compare that to what self serving ranking members of the religions have turned their particular religion into and the huge differences that exist today among the religions. How can one religion claim that their religion is the only true religion? Regardless, I believe it is better to maintain whatever beliefs one has within their religion and not try to interfere with others.
barneyjo | Dec 26, 2012, 09:47 PM EST
@smyrnian - I'll say it again; I am anti abortion. That said, Cardinal Brady is the last churchman I would look to for guidance on this emotive issue. I live in Ireland, I am a practicing Catholic and I can say with certainty that there few people, either laity or clergy who would not regard Sean Brady as anything other than a lame duck. He carries little moral authority as viewed by the laity, and a good many of his own priests have no respect for him. Sad, but there it is. The Irish church has fallen that far and the fault lies squarely with Sean Brady and his brother bishops all of whom have contributed to this fall!!
eiriamach | Dec 26, 2012, 07:10 PM EST
WoundedKnee can't seem to write 10 words without verbally bullying others. He calls one "a piece of fascist trash" and another "dumb" with "crazy 'logic'" and others "bigots and Know Nothings." Notice that this is the same WoundedKnee who had "no words" for bullies on Dec 13, 2012, 01:25 PM EST: "I have no words to express how sad this is--it is the most sorrowful thing I have seen in a long time. I pray that these two young innocents are now numbered among the angels. As to those who bullied--and their worthless parents... I have no words for them either." Oh he had fine words indeed, but no reflection on his own behavior came from his sadness about the suicides of bullying victims.
johnshiel | Dec 26, 2012, 06:09 PM EST
this guy should be removed from his eleveted post just for displaying the facial negativity captured in the accompanying photo...
handsome68 | Dec 26, 2012, 05:43 PM EST
From the look of him, Cardinal Brady does not seem to have the touchy-feely approach of, e.g., New York's Cardinal Dolan. Be that as it may, the issue is a thorny one that does not always lend itself to glib answers.
Smyrnian | Dec 26, 2012, 05:24 PM EST
Everyone on this thread will agree, I am sure, that the abuse of children is horrendous. Why then do so many of these same people think it is fine to kill these same kids before that are born? Interesting.
seanomelb | Dec 26, 2012, 04:38 PM EST
browbeaten wee Willy hamilton on his usual bigoted anti Catholic rantings.
olovely | Dec 26, 2012, 04:25 PM EST
If Brady wants to operate a Political Action Committee his organization should pay taxes like any other PAC.
barneyjo | Dec 26, 2012, 03:42 PM EST
@woundedknee - this particular catholic (ie me) is in absolute agreement with you that Cardinal Brady has the right to make his views known. Similarly, we, all of us who live in Ireland as practicing catholics have a right to either accept or reject what he has to say. Leaving aside the abortion issue, this many has lost his moral authority to direct any his flock in a particular way. He lost it on the day that he committed young children to a hell on earth when he brushed the sins the church visited on those children under the carpet for the good of mother church. I for one am totally anti-abortion, but the good cardinal is the last man to whom I would look to or rely on for spiritual guidance given that his moral compass has been proven to have been so dysfunctional in the past and he has given no indication that has changed in recent times!!
mamaginnty | Dec 26, 2012, 02:22 PM EST
Darao is right, after listening to the pope's Christmas speech/message this cult is finished.
WoundedKnee | Dec 26, 2012, 01:29 PM EST
darao: So we Catholics don't have a right to an opinion? What a piece of fascist trash you are.
WoundedKnee | Dec 26, 2012, 01:27 PM EST
For you bigots and Know Nothings out there: Brady has a right to express his opinion, and those who look to him for leadership have a right to hear his point of view. All your hate can't change that.
The Commentator | Dec 26, 2012, 01:26 PM EST
Why do these pedophile priest protectors keep interfering in government affairs? One day, the citizens will get fed up with the sanctimonious hypocrites and protest the tax free status they enjoy. What if the government passed a law requiring all priests be married, would that be appropriate ? The religious sects need to tend to their flock, preach to them, and not interfere in public affairs.
WoundedKnee | Dec 26, 2012, 01:25 PM EST
That's a really dumb post, pilib04. By your crazy "logic" there should be no public investment in fighting breast cancer, for example. But it turns out there is HUGE public investment in fighting breast cancer and other cancers that predominantly affect women! More money spent than on fighting things ike testicular or prostate cancer. How about thinking before you post, pilib? We have enough nonsense here, the quota is full.
pilib04 | Dec 26, 2012, 01:01 PM EST
If men could get pregnant, the good Cardinal would not even be speaking on the subject. You can bet that abortion would be free on demand.
Will Hamilton | Dec 26, 2012, 11:57 AM EST
Abortion would be better than being born and falling into the hands of Brady and his ilk. It shows how his delusional arrogance has caused him to lose contact will all around when he thinks he can swear child rape victims to secrecy and then go waffling about protecting
eiriamach | Dec 26, 2012, 11:56 AM EST
“We can, and should, do better than this in striving to create a society truly worthy of the dignity of the human person," the Cardinal says. By "the dignity of the human person" he means unless the human person is female, pregnant, in medical crisis, and needing abortion of a non-viable fetus to save her life. Then he does not recognize her "dignity of the human person," nor does he recognize her "right to life" until the fetal heartbeat ceases. Women have equal dignity in the eyes of God, and a "society" that recognizes this equal dignity does not over-ride her equal dignity with the "right to life" of a non-viable fetus. Reform of Irish abortion law will accomplish no more than this. What is there to protest in this reform?
Happyhippo | Dec 26, 2012, 11:42 AM EST
Its not that long ago that contraception and devorce were banned in the Republic,with the Catholic church the biggest obstacle to change,now nobody bats an eyelid,what has changed to bring this about,now they are objecting to any legislation confirming the supreme Court ruling in the x case 20 years ago to protect the life of the mother when necessary,in a democracy they have to accept the laws of state are for all citizens,that cannon law applies only to the Catholic church,i have never yet met a person that is pro death,but scaremongering is never a good idea where rational argument is called for.
Joe Kelsall | Dec 26, 2012, 11:41 AM EST
It doesn't matter what I think; you won't print it!
rassanmore | Dec 26, 2012, 10:32 AM EST
Why waste space reporting what Brady wants? He showed his true colours by clinging to his position instead of resigning over the priests and altarboys disgusting crimes. I guess he likes to strut around with his cape and mitre etc. If he only realized that he presents a ridiculous figure. Move aside, I say and make room for progress
madpadd | Dec 26, 2012, 10:09 AM EST
When is Brady going to realize that nobody cares what he says.
Gearoid4 | Dec 26, 2012, 10:07 AM EST
@Darao, The Cardinal as an Irish citizen has an innate right to express his opinion on matters of public policy which have a distinct moral component to them. If this leads to a call for peaceful dissent against a particular policy, this is legitimate and this right should be respected. Moreover, the Republic of Ireland is a democracy and is not the preserve of an opinion-forming minority elite who think that a modern-day liberal republic is synonymous with their views and without any input from people of Faith.
joma5004 | Dec 26, 2012, 09:18 AM EST
Mexico gthrewe out the Church for interference in its policies and was not reinstated for 100 years. When is the Church going to remembver this and when are they going to relize that Ireland is not a department of the Church but an independent country. Tax the Church if they want to play politics.
joma5004 | Dec 26, 2012, 08:26 AM EST
Interfering in public policy and legislation is what makes religions quite dangerous. Just as people feel threatened when Islamic fundamentalists try to control governments in other countries one can see the threat the catholic church poses as it tries to control Irish society. Religion and belief in God is pretty harmless in itself genreally but when it extends to trying to impose its moral or political values on society through block voting it becomes a negative and socially dangerous thing.