While America’s attention has been absorbed in recent weeks by domestic affairs, something quite remarkable has become unmistakably clear across the Atlantic: Ireland — where the constitution begins, “In the name of the Most Holy Trinity” — has become the most stridently anti-Catholic country in the Western world.
Its Taoiseach (prime minister), Enda Kenny, recently took to the floor of the Dáil to denounce the Vatican as a house of “dysfunction, disconnection, elitism . . . [and] narcissism” and to commit an act of calumny against Pope Benedict XVI, accusing him of being a party to the coverup of the “rape and torture of children.” Ireland’s attorney general plans to introduce a new law that threatens priests with five-year jail sentences if they do not violate the seal of confession when pedophilia is confessed. Polls indicate considerable support among Irish voters for such an unprecedented violation of religious freedom, and the Irish press has indulged its anti-Church phobias with virtually no restraint.
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There can be no doubt that the crisis of clerical sexual abuse — and the parallel crisis of local Catholic leadership that failed to address the problem — has been especially acute in Ireland. Benedict XVI condemned both the abuse and the coverup of abuse in a stinging letter to the entire Church in Ireland 16 months ago, a letter that condemned abusers and their enablers while offering a heartfelt apology to victims. Apostolic visitations of the principal Irish dioceses and seminaries have been undertaken, on Vatican orders, by bishops from the United States, Canada, and Great Britain; their reports, one understands, have been blunt and unsparing.
What has not happened, and what ought to happen sooner rather than later, is a wholesale replacement of the Irish hierarchy, coupled with a dramatic reduction in the number of Irish dioceses. Ireland is in desperate need of new and credible Catholic leadership, and some of it may have to be imported: If a native of Ireland could be archbishop of New York in 1850, why couldn’t a native of, say, California be archbishop of Dublin in 2012? The United States and Canada, in particular, have Anglophone bishops who have demonstrated their capacity to clean house and reenergize dioceses evangelically. Thus the Vatican, not ordinarily given to dramatic change, might well consider clearing the Irish bench comprehensively and bringing in bishops, of whatever national origin, who can rebuild the Irish Church by preaching the Gospel without compromise — and who know how to fight the soft totalitarianism of European secularists.
In the wake of Taoiseach Kenny’s hysterical rant in the Dáil, the Vatican recalled its nuncio to Ireland for consultations, a clear sign of displeasure with Irish politicians who, for whatever reasons, deliberately foment anti-Catholic hysteria. Yet as distasteful and irresponsible as Kenny’s attacks were, they underscore the fact that radical changes are needed in the Catholic Church’s leadership in Ireland — now, not at some indeterminate point in the future.
The deeper question that the past several weeks of Catholic-bashing in Ireland has raised — How on earth did this most Catholic of countries become violently anti-Catholic? — touches on the modern history of independent Ireland; serious answers to that question are likely to offer little comfort to either Irish romantics or defenders of the old alliances between Church and state.
Your comments miss the mark. I am a clergyman in Ireland (non RC) and I can tell you that the average Irishman blames the corrupt clergy in the RC but not the good ones.
Enda Kenny's remarks are widely viewed as spot on in regard to some of the hierarchy and not as a rabid rant as you suggest.
Sorry Reverend you also missed the point. An Taoiseach missed the point and did not go after the failures of the resigned bishop of Cloyne and his former vicar general. He used his office and the bully pulpit of Dail Eireann to unjustly and savagely attack the character of this Pope, under cover of " The Vatican" to malign him. You know the strong letter this Pope sent to the Catholic Christian Church in Ireland.You know he said bishops could report abuse in 2001 and that the letter from the then-Nuncio in 1996 expressed a caution and legitimate concern for clergy who faced canon law penalties as well as civil ones. That concern was erased when the 1996 bishops own decision to report held, thus any indirect reference to that letter or dismissal of canon law by Mr Kenny or any of his Ministers deserves no attention. Mr Kenny was part of a coalition which could have enacted a law against abusers or a law his government is only now talking about to require reporting. That will include families, where most abuse occurs, Protestant and Jewish clergy, youth ministers, all school teachers, coaches, dance insructors, physicians, ddentists and others whose crimes and abuse do not receive the publicity the highly structured hierarchical Roman Church does. In the USA to this day State/public school teachers, and coaches- male and female,married and single are regularly arrested for the contemporary abuse of minor male and female students.
Keep the truth in perspective and balance please. Jesus in the way and the TRUTH.
An interesting take, but the solution isn't to bring in clergy from the U.S., why would the Irish trust replacements from a country that hasn't been able to handle the same problem?
The problem isn't an Irish one, it's a Catholic one. The Vatican, under Benedict and JPII, hasn't dealt with the problem, instead it has tried to bury the problem under a thin layer of earth. But the problem keeps raising its' hands through that layer back into the sunlight.
The Vatican cannot continue to treat this problem as a simple matter of abused authority, it needs to treat it as the crime it is. The Canons from the early church state it quite simply, a priest must be of good moral character, if they prove not to be then they are to be removed from the church. This is what the Vatican needs to do, remove these priests from the protection of the church and turn them over to the civil authorities. To this point that has rarely been done, preferring to play the ostrich and hope that it disappears.
The fall of Catholicism in Ireland is but another sign that the Vatican is not dealing with the problem. Soon, they will not have to worry about it, because there won't be enough people left in the church to enable it to continue.
Sitting here in Ireland, rather than thousands of miles away, I take serious offence at this inaccurate and misleading article.
"violently anti-Catholic"?
Firstly, Ireland is 85% Catholic, and while there are many who have turned from their faith in despair, there is no violence (other than the priests who are obviously still quite content to rape and torture children as shown in the reports recently published) and there is no anti-Catholic actions - other than fully justified disgust that the organisation we have trusted for so long could be so lacking in any moral authority. As an 85% Catholic country, one which I might add has been embroiled in fights for religious (Catholic) freedom for near on 800 years in one shape or another, we would need to be self loathing to fill your inaccurate description of us.
That these crimes were committed by those who are meant to be the guides in life and ones spiritual journey is sad, but in fairness the Irish congregation did put in place some (relatively soft touch) guidelines for the safety of children and reporting of crimes by clergy. What is unacceptable to many here is that the church authority - the Vatican - would interfere and advise that same congregation (i.e. the Vatican’s staff as such) that those were not rules to follow but instead just things to discuss.
My good Lord! How dare they.
And for that matter - how dare you. What on Earth gives you the knowledge and authority to state "Ireland has now become the epicenter of European anti-Catholicism"? Is it because after decades of torture and abuse not of tens, not of hundred, but of thousands of poor souls at the hands of clergy the Irish have finally said "Enough!", and decide that it is time that these criminals are brought to justice, and the Vatican answer as to why they feel that it is God’s work to advise clergy not to report paedophilia in their midst? Is it because you received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice that you feel obliged to attack a foreign country, similar in the way which the Catholic hierarchy did (irony not lost I assure you!)? Or is it simply that you have failed to research your subject properly?
Might I suggest you get a copy of the Murphy report and read it, get a copy of the Cloyne report and read it, or even have a look into the torture and rape at the hands of the misnamed nuns of 'the good Sheppard'' or 'sisters of mercy'.
Then, when you have seen the sickening crimes these priests have committed, then you can write an article and defend those that perpetrated it, and you might still feel we are anti Catholic, but you are wrong. We are more catholic than you would comprehend. I will not quote scripture at you, but I am sure you are aware the sin within your article.
It is a strength to condemn those who are wrong, to have the strength to confront institutions, organisations, no matter who they are, when you can see clearly they are sinning and committing crimes, not just against the laws of the land, but against God's own law. I have never been a fan of our current leader here, Enda Kenny, but his words were right and it is only those who are afraid of change and improvement that do not stop and look at the details instead of lashing out in defence.
No, he is not attacking the church - rather he is showing the church that it has faults that need to be repaired before you truly do end up seeing an Ireland that really is " the epicenter of European anti-Catholicism". Let us hope that is not a day we see.
To Irishcatholic -- As a 100% Irish-Catholic American (in Philadelphia), I certainly hope you're correct that the country is still very Catholic and not turning against the Church; it was heartening to read what you wrote.
I've spent a bit of time studying and thinking about the history of the Irish and their clergy - as well as many conversations with the Irish.
Many I have spoken to have said, "You don't understand, the Church runs Ireland. The schools, the laws - you can't get away from the Church like you can here."
I've also heard how radical the clergy are - either radically traditional or just plain radical.
I came to a sort conclusion I've tried out on scores of Irish people - and their stunned silence leads me to believe it gets near to the heart of the truth.
The Irish have such a tempestuous and volatile relationship with their clergy because the clergy ARE Irish.
The moral authoritarianism the Irish complain about in the Church, the mucking about in politics, the refusal to publicly address painful failures, the argumentativeness when criticized - the Church in Ireland is this way of course becasue they ARE Irish.
The Italians, Spanish, or French don't have these kind of complaints - they have different ones.
The centuries long pattern of Irish chauvinism mixed with self-loathing is illustrated excruciatingly in the current abuse scandal and coverup. The Irish clergy were not born in the rectory - they came from Irish homes, Irish families, and Irish towns. They are the way they are becasue they are Irish - and that's why the Irish treat them thus.
As I said, the stunned wonder I have witnessed on scores of Irish folks I have presented this idea with leads me to believe there must be something to it.
Anyway, God bless them. They're a complicated people.
One could have seen this coming years ago with the popularity of the television series Ballykissangel. This show depicted a small Irish village with a young woman publican who is an atheist and proud of it (is there any other kind?), conniving and manipulative senior clergy, a generally secular society, and (naturally) a young priest who ultimately loses his faith. All of this seen as normal and progressive. I suppose this was accepted as a normal view of Irish society in the 1990s.
The political party that identified with the Catholic Church and vice versa through much of the mid-20th century in Quebec was the Union Nationale, not the Liberals. God bless.
The Roman Catholic Church must deal with this issue decisively. This will require execution of a four step program:
1 - purge the perps;
2 - purge the enablers;
3 - remove the "velvet/violet mafia" from the seminaries; and,
4 - deal openly and fairly with the victims.
This program needs to be executed urgently.
I know the Church is short of priests, but it doesn't need sexual deviants, or bishops who play the old "shell and perp" game, or seminary faculties which ignore/encourage deviants. A little Christian charity toward the victims wouldn't hurt a bit either; and, it's cheaper than a lawsuit and a bankruptcy.
Ed Reid is truly a man of 'eminence' as he's the first to give consideration to the victims in all of this. Wiegel and Co. purport to know what is going on in Ireland but how can he? As for his negative comments on Enda Kenny all I can reply to him on that is George come down off your pedestal and reach out to 'real' people!
The victims cannot be ignored, though the excellencies, eminences and holinesses have tried mightily.
The problem cannot be "swept under the rug". The cover-up has been every bit as damaging as the problem, from the perspective of the Church. From the perspective of the victims, nothing could be worse than the actions of the "perps", though the cover-up has been a slap in the face.
However, dealing with the victims' issues will take time. Cleaning house need take no time at all. Recovering from such a house cleaning will also take time, but the recovery can't start until the house cleaning process is finished.
I would like to point out an error that is made all too often by American pundits or "experts", and that is to refer to Europeans as a single group with the same culture and attitudes.
Referring to something like European Anti-Catholicism you are grouping together people like the Norwegians, Swedes, Danes, Finns and the Icelanders, all of which are overwhelmingly Lutheran and don't really care about the goings on of the Catholic Church.
With people like the Italians, Maltans, Poles, Spaniards and the Irish, which are overwhelmingly Catholic.
This in my opinion is a measure of how any American "expert" really is, that he can look at all these countries in Europe and say to himself "yeah, they're pretty much the same".
Or maybe in your case Mr Weigel, look at 3 or 4 countries in Europe and come to the conclusion that this is how all the rest of the Countries in Europe think.
So if there is anything that i want you take from this comment it is this, If you can't distinguish between peoples like the Norwegians and the Italians then there isn't really much you can distinguish between.
"and who know how to fight the soft totalitarianism of European secularists"
So you live your life in accordance with a German dictator who lives within Italy's borders and is protected by tall Swiss guys with pointy sticks. Yet, we're going to go over "there" and clean them up with American virtues when those same virtues are the ones dictated by Europeans?
George, a lot of what you say is true. However I would strongly disagree, as a committed lay Irish Roman Catholic, that we need to import a new hierarchy. We do have some good faithful priests here in Ireland. They are the ones who quietly go about their business and suffer quietly the brunt of the media's frenzied obsession with the Church.
We also have totally rebellious priests who have set up the CPA. They resent authority, maybe a result of many years of being dominated by the English, and they resent Church teaching on sexuality, namely, Humane Vitae.
So the ones who need to be kicked out are the rebel members of the CPA. Finally, a new AB in Dublin would be the first place to start with the new hierarchy.
There's a lot going on George that you obviously do not know, and unless you have your ear to the ground you can't. :)
Institutions with so many apparent contradictions are destined to become less and less relevant to everyday life. Connecting to reality has never been a Holy See strong suit. How can a dogma based on forgiveness condemn those it is charged with saving? Interpreting God? (objective) More like, aiding the Devil. (subjective) No win situation; except for the riches. Who shall be damned? Haven't seen a pope or bishop yet who'll fit through the eye of the needle. Point is christianity is self-destructive. It is just taking a long time.
Contrary to the other Irish comments above, as an Irish Catholic in Dublin - I completely agree with this article.
There are good priests everywhere, Ireland included. However, we lack good bishops. Good priests don't automatically become good bishops - a lesson Ireland has learned well.
We've now got too many bishops, most of whom are tired and unconvincing, and no leadership.
I would thoroughly welcome good bishops from anywhere.
We've only 4 million people and decreasing practicing population - bigger dioceses with fewer and stronger bishops are the way to go.
Enda Kenny's comments while off balance at times (as evidenced by the misquotes of Benedict 16), reflect the reality of many ordinary Catholics in Ireland - how could the hierarchy stand by as these atrocities were perpetrated? and more importantly - why are they standing by now, silent and cowering in fear of the "media", rather than living the message of Christian love so clearly expressed in the Pope's letter to us last year.
As faithful and practicing Catholics it is not enough to point to good priests and laity - it's high time we demanded an Irish church that reflects us: happy to be Catholic, committed to the new evangelisation, desperately sad and sorry at the crimes of the Church and those within it, ready to move on and face the 21st century. The current hierarchy and systems of the Church remain broken, failed and an anchor around our neck.
Mr. Weigel you know nothing of what it is to be an Irish Catholic or anything of modern Irish society. The Office of Pope and Curia have become nothing more than the “Bureau of Paedophile and abuser protection”. As an Irish Catholic I don’t think you guys in your theological Ivory towers get it, Enda Kenny reflects absolutely what we Irish Catholics think and feel about the church. What Martin Luther pointed out in the 16th century is really beginning to resonate with me now. We need to question the existence of Institutional catholicism, who and what does it serve? This whole debacle is nothing to with creeping secularism it’s about the Catholic faithful finally having the knowledge, skills and attitude to stand up to what has become a monster i.e. the institutional Catholic Church.
Study real history, not French "enlightenment" revisionist propaganda. Luther never advocated the abolition of the institutional Church. The Church did address almost all of the abuses identified by Luther. Secular forces in Germany, France, and England, siezed upon the popular reformist zeal unleashed by Luther to resist domination by the Hapsburg dynasty of Spain and Austria, triggering the Thirty Years War, for which those same secular forces blamed the Church. Did you know that the "catholic" Charles V led a Lutheran army to sack Rome when the Church did not support his secular aims to his liking? The Spanish Inquisition was controlled by, and reported to, the king of Spain, not to Rome. The pope ordered it disbanded, but the rule of the age was that Papal decrees had no force until approved and promulgated by the king. The Inquisition was a secular institution that served secular needs, and the secularists who controlled it enjoyed the beneift of maintaining the superficial appearance of religiosity. It was still an age when secular rulers derived all their legitimacy by appearing to be "defending the Faith". It is so much better now that secular authority does not have to bow to any higher law than the whims of the ruling class, isn't it?
