Posts tagged ireland

The mere mention of Catholicism in Ireland has transformed into a dark euphemism of ingrained sexual abuse and throes of horror at the hands of our priests. The high-profile scandals of clerical abuse have rocked the Irish nation, sending alarm signals radiating across the globe.

Survivors have incessantly fought for justice – sadly some died during the process – and many doors where slammed in their faces. It later transpired that the “trusted” in society engaged in the sickening act of thwarting the innocence and their battle for liberation – members of the Gardai being one.  Is it any wonder that young people are losing touch with their faith and failing to comprehend the beliefs of the once faithfully regarded golden empire of religion? The priests of the abuse generation acted in a shrewd, calculating and callous manner, bearing life-long, mentally stigmatic scars onto their victims’ souls. Some committed suicide; others are fighting a battle from their waking moment, fighting for justice and coming to terms with a needless sense of haunting shame – a shame that is likely to effect the simple interactions of their daily lives.

Time has since progressed, and the heat has reached higher degrees. The Catholic Church of Ireland was exposed for all its stomach-churning and enigmatic revulsion. Out shone the faces of the victims and with that so did the immediate denial on part of those too stone-faced to admit the truth. Some went into hiding, others sprang the cringe-worthy questions – and some felt guilt and disgrace. For many, the litany of exposures marked the beginning of a lost faith in the teachings of Irish religion, particularly among the younger generation. A shadow now hangs over the big questions: Where do we turn for guidance, faith and reassurance?

The hush-hush era has been unveiled, but with that uncovering has come much back-turning on religious stature. The era of terror, where the simple mention of a priest’s name was sufficient enough to instil fear into innocent hearts, no longer has as strong a hold as it once had.

Its grip has been loosened, and the noose around the brave victims’ necks has since been removed – physically, but not mentally. Catholicism has been dealt a fatal blow, and the conspiracies, paedophile rings and secrecy have all constituted to the fall of the Irish church. Inaccuracies, incorrectness, appalling errors, and misconduct of trust…. The list is endless. Is it any wonder young people are failing in their attempts to choose a stable and trustworthy religious foundation to which they can offer their entire trust?

LGBT people in Irish society have waged a bullet-from-gun battle against the Catholic Church since its origin. They where depicted as sexually charged monsters – breeding predators belonging to the dark. The culture was total denial and cover up. Homosexuality was viewed as an illness; some were “generous” enough to offer a cure, believing it was a choice. Prime figures of the Catholic Church – some of who were found to be closet cases themselves – preached hypocrisy to its pinnacle, claiming LGBT people had no religious rights, and no business turning to their religion for help, despite the majority being born into Catholic dynasty. The Bible, since its early production, has condemned the actions and choices of gay people, describing it as a septic evil. The Bible itself cites scarring, hate-fuelled passages against homosexuality: “If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall be put to death: their blood is upon them” (Lev 20:13). This is only a snippet of the homophobic material being read by avid followers of religion for generations, dangerously describing it as a sin and an evil. It is no wonder gay people felt the need to go into hiding; open back-alley clubs that added to the fuel of sordid secrecy; and feel a sense of shame over a “condition” that science later proved as being biologically correct, bringing into clearer focus a sense of softer discernment.

However, despite a wave of understanding, it is the people of the hierarchy who have the most influential power; though, despite this, it is these very establishments that continue to demote LGBT people and their beliefs – the issues surrounding civil partnerships and adoption being some of them.

The 21^st century is an epoch of hope, but institutions are continuing to resist change. Only recently Pope Benedict undermined homosexuality and all its glory by announcing to the world that saving it from homosexuality and transsexual behaviour was just as important as saving the world from global warming. And, in August 2009, Cardinal Sean Brady came under fire after he virtually decided the standing of gay people by asking them to take Christ’s side or cut all religious ties immediately. How can gay people expect a sense of progression in society when it is this very great hierarchy that is condemning gay rights on a mass, worldwide scale?

The religious order worldwide has taken an immense bashing and, in order to redirect the magnifying glass, it is continuing to launch a series of scathing attacks on the most vulnerable cultures and all the inbetweeners. Child abuse, homosexuality, rape: these are  just a few of the alarming words emanating from the Catholic Church, and it is these very words that will make the Irish Church’s road to recovery all the more difficult. It is a blackened era for religion, some have hung up their hats, others committed suicide to escape ridicule, and others have been led to justice. Where does the faith lie?  Nobody is immune. The elderly have turned their backs, and impressionable young people – like sponges – are soaking up the negative impact being aimed in the direction of the Catholic Church. By their own admissions, priests have said that this is an increasingly difficult time for them to address a religious congregation. Few people are taking the pledge of ordainment, and there are now only 120 Redemptorist priests in Ireland.

The Irish Catholic newspaper has predicted that by 2013 the number of priests serving in the diocese will drop from 102 to 70. This prediction has resulted in the Archbishop of Tuam, Dr Michael Neary, putting structures in place to cope with an expected 30 per cent reduction in the archdiocese.  It is these predictions that are casting doubt on peoples’ attitudes toward religion, and whether the shocking revelations of the past and the immediate future will continue to rock the religion into complete and utter ruin.

Catholic Youth Care (CYC) has realised the importance young people hold in society and, as a result, it has begun implementing a plan to train young people to preach “the word of God to their Peers.” According to CYC director, Fr Jim Caffrey, the actions outlined will encourage pilgrimages and community activity. He said: “We are only at the beginning, but that is the only way at the end of the day.” Fr Caffrey posed the question: “Why is it that these young people who are idealistic and generous are not finding a home in our parishes?” According to Fr Caffrey homosexuality and suicide are two of the biggest concerns for young people.

Having spoken to a series of young people, it seems the generic perception is that the fall of the church was as a result of its own doing, and no amount of cajoling can reverse its horrific dent that will surely go down in the dark of Irish history.

Samantha Jameson (22) is a childcare student. She says: “There is so much bigotry in the Catholic Church. I can’t remember the last time I went to Church out of good religious will. The only time I seem to ever be inside a church is when I am compelled to visit for christenings and so on….”

Michael Mulvey (20) is a media student. According to Micheal “the Catholic Church has some major making up to do. He says: Its reputation is ruined, and I seriously don’t see how it will ever recover.”

Aisling Kearns (19) says “I would love to be able to support the Catholic Church but how could I? Especially in the current climate: the abuse and its old-fashioned views on homosexuality. If I followed the Church I would feel as though I’m supporting these views.”

Nicola Murphy (23) believes that the Catholic Church may gather the strength in years to come in order to regain its trust. She says: “The church right now is making me so angry. It’s on the TV in the morning, lunchtime and at night. All I’m seeing are priests in handcuffs, revelations about child abuse, and harrowing stories of survivors. It makes me want to cry. I can’t begin to imagine the pain endured by these people and all those people who have since dies. I feel pity and shame. Shame mainly because this is an issue that Ireland will always be associated with: Clerical abuse and its condemnations against homosexuality.”

Martin Flanagan