Ireland is mired deep in a “dark night of the soul.” In Catholic thought, such a "dark night" can bring purification. Might it be the same for Ireland?
The Irish Church has been central to the Irish people for sixteen centuries. Even as we stumble through a spectacular economic collapse; people also now speak of the imminent collapse of the Irish Church.
The Dublin Report on child abuse in the Church was published last November, just as the worst floods in recorded history submerged major Irish cities. Then the nation froze solid in the coldest winter since 1947.
Patsy McGarry, the Religious Affairs Editor of The Irish Times puts matters like this:
"The Catholic Church in Ireland, as we have known it, is seriously damaged and probably beyond repair. It is sinking and sinking fast."
Even the most outspoken defenders of the Church now see the possibility of collapse. David Quinn has said: "Nuclear war has been declared on the Irish church by its critics. If it's going to go down, it may as well go down with its flags flying at full mast."
The tenor of the debate in Ireland changed over the past few months: ambivalence to the Church has given way to open hostility. And, if you read the pages of the Irish Catholic press, it is clear that the Catholic laity and clergy are the most enraged of all. Many feel let down by the Church that they love, and to which they have dedicated their lives. Although, none can feel more betrayed than the victims of abuse.
People could accept that there were some bad eggs in the Church. They cannot forgive a cover up by senior clergy: and that is the core finding of the Dublin Report. The Irish people now feel betrayed by their banks, their government and their church: the Pope's letter was written to a nation in despair.
The Irish Bishops seem blinded in the headlamps as they stumble from disaster to catastrophe. Only the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, has chimed with the people with his humble and open contrition.
It has been a long, dark winter here in Ireland. The pope's letter arrived on the day of the spring equinox, when light and dark poise perfectly balanced, and seasons change. Ireland has always been paradise for six months of the year, and purgatory for the rest. The pope's addendum to his letter was a prayer for Ireland's recovery from this crisis. In it he expresses hopes for a "springtime of holiness". The papal letter is not all things to all men: Many have found good grounds to criticize it, yet it also offers some faint hope of a new beginning to a beleaguered people.
Even if day now grows to exceed night, the Irish Church remains at war with itself and its critics. Amid the fray, the words of an old soldier now resonate. Tom Kettle was a dedicated Irish Catholic, a lawyer and a poet. Just days before he was killed in the Somme in 1916, he wrote a poem to his baby daughter:
"Know that we fools, now with the foolish dead,
Died not for the flag, nor King, nor Emperor,
But for a dream, born in a herdsman's shed,
And for the secret Scripture of the poor."
This crisis arose because many in power put the empire of the Church above that dream, that scripture, and our children.
The dream that was born in a herdsman's shed has sustained the Irish people for centuries through war, desolation and famine. In Ireland, we can only hope that a bright spring will follow this darkest of winters.
Rory Fitzgerald is a writer resident in County Cork. He also writes for the Huffington Post.
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.justhimself | Nov 15, 2010, 04:29 PM EST
Now is the time to revive the ancient "Celtic Catholic Church", founded by St Patrick, no Peters pence was paid to Rome back then, thats why the Pope of the period granted rule of Ireland to the English King. Take our independence from Rome, and have an association only by agreement of our own elected cardinal of all Ireland. Cardinal of our own "Celtic Catholic Church" with married priests and elected bishops.
liliying | Jun 11, 2010, 09:28 PM EDT
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lostgold | Apr 01, 2010, 01:50 PM EDT
Its time for Christianity both Catholic and Protestant to go in Ireland. Christianity destroyed good Pagans. That crap from the middle east via Rome via London via St.Pat go.
CanadianPat | Apr 01, 2010, 10:30 AM EDT
Dear MarySmith77,Portia777,Kickstart,etc. The Catholic Church dispite its recent problems must be doing something right to be attacted with such hatred;as hate does not come from God! Put a little love in your heart and celebrate God's love for you manifested in Easter!A very Happy,and Holy Easter to you and all the other readers!
MarySmith77 | Apr 01, 2010, 06:50 AM EDT
CanadianPat - False dichotomy is a logical fallacy where two alternative statements are held to be the only possible options. You ignore the fact that people wish to see the destruction of the Catholic Church in order to end the centuries of evil deeds inflicted on the world by your Church.
Portia777 | Mar 31, 2010, 09:54 AM EDT
The Catholic Church is a cult and has all the traits of a cult, where only men can play god and pretend to have powers. It has nothing to do with Jesus either. Of course many people have been waiting for a long time for this day of light to come, having been brainwashed from birth by the cult men in black frocks- and like judges wearing black- a symbol of death. Death was the order of the day- millions of innocent human brothers and sisters were murdered on the order of this god. He- not she is so LOVING that he orders pure souls to die , to suffer for their imaginary SINS. There are many members still suffering Stockholm Syndrome and bonded with their abusers who find it hard to escape, but their day of freedom will come and they shall all see the truth of the VATICAN LIE.
CanadianPat | Mar 29, 2010, 04:08 PM EDT
Kickstart you profess great knowledge with no resonable display of such ,and rave on in your many ,many ,many postings on any article concerning The Church such hateful nosence that you prove the assumption I stated in my previous posting!I truely feel sorry for you ,freethinker666, and such like ;and hope that you can find peace .Have a Happy Easter,and find joy in Gods love for you!
JOHNTOBIN | Mar 29, 2010, 07:03 AM EDT
This dreadful business has given many people an ideal excuse for straight out abusive and sarcastic attacks on the Catholic religion in general.They have been waiting for an opportunity like this for a long time.
barneyjo | Mar 28, 2010, 07:38 PM EDT
"KEEP THE FAITH - CHANGE THE CHURCH!!"
kickstar | Mar 28, 2010, 07:25 PM EDT
'CanadianPat' Your comments are Your Opinion, You are free to Express them, As I and others are also, Rather than settle on the Dung heap of information that you have been fed Why don't you do your own research into what you call "Holy Week" and the "Church". Don't think because you were told something as a child that it is remotely true....Remember Santa Claus....
CanadianPat | Mar 28, 2010, 03:38 PM EDT
The vile bitter hate ridden postings directed toward the Church by some on this the beginning of Holy Week ,is not only sad it reveals much about the writers. They are either victims of abuse themselves,(in which case who could blame them when their faith and trust was so defiled by some few evil,sick members of the clergy ,thou it would have been far greater of them to push for reform without trying to distroy ), or they are evil, vile, sick people who wish to attact and destroy and damage for it's own sake!Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us!Hate was never part of the Christian message,love is!
CanadianPat | Mar 28, 2010, 11:43 AM EDT
And now the sexual abuse scandal has spread to Italy, conditions will never change in the RCC until the faithful stop believing that fat old cross dressing pedophiles in long black dresses have god like powers. And thanks to individuals like the Pittsburghkid, who can't think for themselves it ain't never gonna happen.
CanadianPat | Mar 28, 2010, 11:35 AM EDT
"Abortion is the worst form of child abuse" But taking hundreds of children and place them slavery, better known as Irish laundries, making them work 7 days a week subjecting them to physical, mental and sexual abuse is of course perfectly acceptable. Pittsburghkid you are an ass.
Bushothehill | Mar 28, 2010, 10:00 AM EDT
It will take one or two generations for the Catholic Church to recover from the atrocious acts of criminality by some of its messengers, but make no mistake about it, the message will never die. Hopefully, the same exposure and frenetic attacks on the Catholic church will be applied to the teaching profession where the culture of sex abuse of children is rampant and protected by the politically untouchable teachers'union. That 's an area where neither media nor politican dare tread.
Pittsburghkid | Mar 28, 2010, 01:00 AM EDT
Being from America, we have many demoninations. I've observed in News Reports, that pedophiles are not confined to the Catholic Church. Most orginations that provide services to children attract pedophiles. These attacks on the Catholic Church are a means to discredit the Church for it's stand on Abortion. Abortion is the worst form of child abuse.
kickstar | Mar 28, 2010, 12:44 AM EDT
Godly things are always expressed as in the the light, Isn't it interesting that You see Catholic Church purification coming out of a "Dark Night". No No Dark Nights can not bring purification to the Roman Church, But a lot of very Bright lights shone into some Dark and Filthy Corners can, And a few gallons of Bleach will do no harm either. If Hi Hat Brady had of used the German word for No expressed on a telephone set and asked for the Police instead of swearing a Seriously Sexually Abused Child to Silence and covering up Crime he would not be where he is today.....Fired!!! But should be in Prison
KathyCallahan | Mar 27, 2010, 10:53 PM EDT
i think they thought and wanted to believe that the holy roman benevolent empire would be the ticket to the dream and the only way to save their children and everlasting life in heaven
KathyCallahan | Mar 27, 2010, 07:15 PM EDT
This crisis arose because many in power put the empire of the Church above that dream, that scripture, and our children. Rory Fitzgerald The virulent and matastising oedophile religious irish catholic crises took root in the pews where our ancestors thought they were safe from harm for but a few minutes. And we know for sure that they were starving, longing to get back property that belongs to them, and being unjustly evicted, harassed, convicted and deported into 'van diemens land exile' for being Irish in Ireland. not british. I can imagine and hear my great great great grandmother saying, 'I am safe and protected in the pew near the cross and alter.' Where the Irish loving and ever welcoming hand of god was usurped and hijacked by the other all knowing, totally controlling hi jinxing religious roman empire.
kickstar | Mar 27, 2010, 06:47 PM EDT
"David Quinn has said: "Nuclear war has been declared on the Irish church by its critics" Its Critics???? What has it to do with "Its Critics"???? Was it its Critics who were Kidnapping (Babies) Blackmailing Battering Bullying Berating Booting Enslaving Raping Sodomizing and for all we know Murdering The Irish People, CRITICS!! What need Critics! for a Church into which God has finally shone the Light of Day. As long as this church is left with a single Collection plate they will soldier on. Anyone who supports this church with funds is as guilty as those who abuse Children.
KathyCallahan | Mar 27, 2010, 06:43 PM EDT
These long over due dark nights of the soul foreshadow and herald the start of a bright new dawn. There is a wild bet out there today 3 to 1 that Ratzinger will resign. And then there are those who say, The pope is not suppose to resign and there is no one above him to hand his resignation to in the holy roman catholic apostolic church. But i can and do see Pope Ratzinger resigning on or before Good Friday. As he has in fact been positively negatively identified as the architect and organizer i chief and executioner of the Vatican's pedophile damage control program from Munich to Kloyne, Boston, Wisconsin...For he first and foremost and his loyal liuetenents are directly responsible and accountable for every 'insider languaging communication memo, team meeting minutes and official transferring priest disposition that effected children, families, parishoners and adult victims thirty years later and through today in parishes and schools in Ire and around the world. Ratzinger is cornered, exposed and surrounded now and resignation is the only way out. Vatican lawyers issued statements today that come right straight out of the 'papal demonizing the victims and those who question authority manipulation playbook' that was utilzed at every turn in Munich, Boston, Louisianna: "Vicious and malicious critics of the pope (who has done everything right) are trying to destroy the catholic church. That's what this is all about." That line is not flying anymore and is nothing short of a smoking gun communication to deflect attention away from pedophile crimes scenes and intricate inextricably linked webs of religious cover were blown last week. I say that when benedict resigns he is in effect handing his resignation to all of the children and adult victims who are the future of the Irish Catholic church.