Pope Benedict has been invited to attend the Eucharistic Congress in Dublin next summer – and is ‘actively considering’ the invitation.
But one of Ireland’s leading bishops has questioned the timing of the visit in the wake of recent clerical sex abuse scandals.
Dublin Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has warned that the Irish Church may not be ready for a papal visit after confirming the invitation on Irish state radio station RTE.
“We haven’t got a response yet,” explained Archbishop Martin. “He did say to me that he would be open to coming but, he said, and this I agree with, that his coming would have to fit into the overall timetable of the renewal of the church in Ireland.
“Short-circuiting that programme wouldn’t bring the benefits that a papal visit would bring and I am not sure that we are at that stage yet.”
Archbishop Martin believes that the Irish church is in need of a dramatic overhaul in the wake of recent scandals and the fall-off in mass goers.
He also claimed that reform and renewal would have to be progressed before any papal visit.
“We have to see and understand ourselves where we want to go with the Catholic Church. I think a papal visit will only have a significance when many of these issues of our past are fully addressed,” he added.
The Eucharistic Congress at the RDS in June, expected to attract up to 25,000 people a day, is the most likely time for a visit by the Pope but Archbishop Martin refused to commit to a timeline.
“I would say a visit will be soon rather than later. When Pope John Paul came to Ireland the notice was very, very limited,” he stressed.
Speaking about the Congress, Dr Martin added: “The idea is to prepare a modern renewal congress for Catholics.
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“It is to be a congress of learning, of sharing and I would hope part of the thing is there would a be a youth stream and they would be brought in to see the variety of things going on.”
Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny also confirmed that his government would welcome the Pope if he attends the Eucharistic Congress in the summer.
“The Government will treat his holiness with the respect that his status and his office require,” said Kenny.
“The relationship between the Government and the Catholic Church in Ireland is now far more real and understanding than it has ever been for many years.”
Kenny did say there will be no early review of the decision to close Ireland’s embassy in the Vatican despite recent debate on the subject.
He confirmed: “The Government decision to close the Irish Embassy to the Holy See was wholly unrelated to his criticism of the Vatican following the publication of the Cloyne report.
“There will be no early review of the decision to close the embassy.”
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.awoken32 | Feb 09, 2012, 04:38 AM EST
I beleive in god but i do not beleive the catholic church represents god anymore,they have been infiltrated by the masons,truth be known their leaders follow lucifer,god will win in the end an the people will get back their spirituality
IrelandNorth | Feb 08, 2012, 08:17 AM EST
Remember my mother (Lord rest her) talking about the Eucharistic Congress (UC) of 1936 (?). Personally remember Benny's predecessors' Phoenix Pk. gig in 1979, as I walked home to Rathfarnham after night duty with the PDF. Unbelievable throngs of people down South Circular Road/-Islandbridge. Expect 2112 UC will be a damp squib in ligh of clerical child sexual abuse.
eiriamach | Feb 07, 2012, 02:42 PM EST
About the Eucharistic Congress, Soline H. of WomanSpirit Ireland points out a sexist theme in one of the EC icons distributed to parishes. The icon, entitled "Pentecost," shows the disciples gathered together for the descent of the Holy Spirit before they undertake setting up the early Church. She writes to members that the icon "depicts 12 men, and NO WOMEN, even though the Acts of the Apostles tell us clearly that the women disciples together with Mary were there. Instead of these women who WERE present, some men like Paul, Luke and Mark who WERE NOT, are included!" The icon seems to "propagate the lie" that the Holy Spirit did not descend on the women disciples "and that therefore the current gender apartheid in the church is God's Will. It is not!" Leaving women invisible does seem to express the Vatican spirit of the times. The Holy Spirit's descent upon the disciples is the event the RCC associates with commissioning and bestowing grace on priests. Perhaps the artist was just being obedient: the pope has demanded silence on the question of women priests and sacked an Australian bishop for mentioning it in a newsletter. Mr. Kenny promises to treat his holiness with respect at the Eucharistic International. Will Catholic women do the same, or will they boycott the event?
Murph46 | Feb 06, 2012, 04:19 PM EST
Scary lookin!
SeamusMartin | Feb 06, 2012, 02:18 PM EST
Tis amazing, I agree with all the comments... so far.
esatdigiwank | Feb 06, 2012, 11:45 AM EST
Evil-cvnt aura about him indeed. The visit will clash with the all consuming matter of the soccer team competing in Euro'12 tournament. And who knows, Rottweiler may get one frightful helping of an Irish summer to utterly dampen the occasion ha ha.
awoken32 | Feb 06, 2012, 11:35 AM EST
He is one evil looking devil,i wouldnt trust him as far as i could throw him
rainbowbrew | Feb 06, 2012, 11:18 AM EST
I would sugget that his visit will be too costly for an Ireland trying to recover. Of course the Pope knows this and is probably pleased with making the Irish pay more and in different ways than collection. This guy is not so good and I would not want him visiting me that is for sure.
rugbyplayer | Feb 06, 2012, 09:40 AM EST
Big mistake. If the Republic is ever to see a united Ireland at any time, it has to shed what appears to be a Vatican-dominated influence on its national life.