Youth alienated by Catholic Church, says Dublin archbishop
Urges Irish parishes to seek new ways of relating to teenagers ‘disgusted’ by child abuse scandals
La Croix International staff, Ireland
Catholics should “learn new ways in which they can win new hearts” as young people increasingly feel alienated from the teachings of the church, according to Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin.
The Republic of Ireland capital is set to welcome Pope Francis in August as he will attend the World Meeting of Families there but concerns are growing as attendance rates at church services continue to dwindle.
Archbishop Martin sounded a wake-up call, saying Catholicism is becoming “foreign” to young people, especially in Ireland, The Irish Times reports.
“The main body of the membership of Irish Catholicism and its leadership belong to an age and cultural group that is in many ways foreign to the culture of young people,” he said.
“The Irish church needs to waken itself to the urgency of this situation,” he said, adding it “needs a radical overhaul in its outreach” and must “re-learn the ability to speak the language of faith authentically in a world where that language may be alien.”
Archbishop Martin made the remarks in mid-July at the ordination of two Vietnamese men as Salesian priests in the university town of Maynooth.
Earlier in July he said that “numbers attending Mass are down right across Ireland” with young faces so few and far between that people are now shocked “when they go to Mass in a parish at which there is a substantial presence of young people,” the media reports.
He also criticized the low standing of women in church institutions and the effect of child abuse scandals among issues that should be addressed, adding these have left the younger generation feeling a sense of “disgust.”
PAT SSYS
Diarmuid Martin gets it right on saying the right words.
But it is it followed by actions.
Diarmuid has had many years to reform the Church in Dublin and has not succeeded.
He has a terrible relationship with most of the priests. And they resent that. They also resent the favourites he has gathered around him in Archbishops House.
Yes, the young people are disappearing from the church because it's irrelevant to them. They are also appalled by the never-ending scandals that emerge day by day.
And many thinking women are disillusioned by the fact that they have no real place in the Church.
Diarmuid says fine words.
But what has he DONE for young people and women?
Diarmuid is part of the problem and that makes him unable to bring about change.
The RC Church is dying in Ireland.
I cannot see how the institution can ever recover.
Who will really tackle the rottenness of the institution,?
Hierarchy and clericalism have had their day.
The whole structure needs to be demolished and then rebuilding needs to happen.
But the vested interests at the Curia, in the hierarchy and among clerics resist any change.
The tail is wagging the dog.
It's been wagging it for 1700 years since the Church amalgamated with Constantine.
The message and mission of Jesus has been replaced with the global corporation called RC Ltd.
PAT SSYS
Diarmuid Martin gets it right on saying the right words.
But it is it followed by actions.
Diarmuid has had many years to reform the Church in Dublin and has not succeeded.
He has a terrible relationship with most of the priests. And they resent that. They also resent the favourites he has gathered around him in Archbishops House.
Yes, the young people are disappearing from the church because it's irrelevant to them. They are also appalled by the never-ending scandals that emerge day by day.
And many thinking women are disillusioned by the fact that they have no real place in the Church.
Diarmuid says fine words.
But what has he DONE for young people and women?
Diarmuid is part of the problem and that makes him unable to bring about change.
The RC Church is dying in Ireland.
I cannot see how the institution can ever recover.
Who will really tackle the rottenness of the institution,?
Hierarchy and clericalism have had their day.
The whole structure needs to be demolished and then rebuilding needs to happen.
But the vested interests at the Curia, in the hierarchy and among clerics resist any change.
The tail is wagging the dog.
It's been wagging it for 1700 years since the Church amalgamated with Constantine.
The message and mission of Jesus has been replaced with the global corporation called RC Ltd.
Dear Pat, I think it comes down to a quote from a British civil servant in 1979, he said it about Britain at that time, and you can use it now about the catholic church in Ireland
ReplyDelete"It is now just the orderly management of decline".
There is no solution. Because no pope, cardinal or bishop wants to change anything. Why would they, they have done so well out of it.
It would need to be a miracle to see the reverse of the decline, and I am sorry, no amount of hail marys or fatima prayers or walking around barefoot in lough derg is going to do it.
Sadly, you are so right.
DeleteThere is only one direction in which a turd must go...down the pan.
DeleteA turd cannot change its nature, for it will always be a turd.
The institutional Roman Catholic Church must go if there is to be any realistic hope of putting young butts on pews.
This means YOU, Diarmuid; you, and your kind. Like Ray Browne, Phonsie...
(Oh! Did I mention Sean Jones?😆)
Anonymous at 23:55
DeleteIt is only prayer that can reverse the decline. You clearly have no faith. Not surprised to see Buckley agrees, he has no faith either.
That about sums it up.
Delete09:42 God helps those who help themselves.
DeleteYes?😆
Magna at 00:42
DeletePolly, you seem to be obsessed by this Sean Jones. Get Help! Your constant bitter invective against Our Holy Mother The Church has become wearisome! It is you who is the biggest Turd, flush yourself away, and give us all peace. I'm still praying for you. It is my Christian Duty.
23:55
DeleteMy faith is in Jesus Christ and it the Roman empire MARK 11.
The modern day Pharisees have taken over the Jesus Project and have used it for money, power and sex.
Dear, dear B! Your barking is becoming more and more cacophonous. 😦
DeleteYou're meant to pray out of love, not out of 'Christian Duty'.
The pre-Vat II Church did a great job moulding you, didn't it, in the shape of...the world? 😆
Magna at 11:23
DeletePolly, I do love you! that's why I am always trying to correct you and bring you home. I do this out of love for a poor lost soul, despite your constant nastiness to my person. Love and prayers B. X
And St Pio . Or the old Padre Pio. Running around with his gloves will not solve the problem either.
ReplyDeleteThe Archbishop is worried about alienating youth? He has a young LAY secretary whom he allows put on an alb. Does he not stop to think that a young lad (LAY) in an alb standing near him is alienating youth? Many spoiled priests go about their daily business without the need to dress up and hang around aging bishops.
ReplyDeleteHi Brendan / Gerogous
Delete11:07, Hi poor speller :)
DeleteCoddle Martin doesn’t give a shite. He’s full of empty rhetoric and bluster.
ReplyDeleteHe doesn’t give two shites either about the victims of abuse. It was all a front and PR - just like “wounded healer” Brady.
He doesn’t even bother his big fat arse saying priests’ funeral Masses in the Dublin diocese. He has no interest in their welfare - in life or in death.
The sooner he is gone the better. There are not a few who believe that he is personally compromised in the whole “gorgeous Byrne” affair and other similar scenarios.
The Pope’s visit too is a complete sham. The sooner you are back in Rome, Francis, the better.
Will you address the pro abortion politicians lined up to meet you?
Will you have anything to say to the decimation of vocations in Ireland by the sham that is (Gay)Maynooth and it’s pervert staff, it’s bishop patrons, including Coddle Martin? Who may be guilty of similar crimes as McCarrick, O’Brien and co?
The Irish Church is in meltdown and Coddle Martin, for all his shite, hasn’t an iota of a solution or a way out of the morass.
This is because he is a complete charlatan and no true pastor but a careerist imposter and interloper. Coddle Martin is a hireling and no true shepherd.
Francis, hurry back to Rome after your Irish WMOF fiasco and set yourself to deal with the scandals that are eating away, like a cancer, the vitality of the Church in Ireland.
well said 03:53. I could not have put it any better.
DeleteA month ago there was the sad and untimely death of Fr Eoin McCrystal PP of Lusk who died in his sleep.
DeleteIn most normal dioceses the diocesan bishop will celebrate the Funeral Masses of his deceased priests. Not in Dublin which is very very telling.
Priests’ funerals aren’t important enough for Coddle Martin. He’s far too exalted a personage to be expected to say the Funeral Mass of a mere deceased priest.
Coddle Martin has been a disaster for Dublin and the sooner he is gone the better. He is a cold, calculating, crassly cynical, self-absorbed and soulless man.
The Church in Dublin is on the ground and morale among priests is at an all time low. Whoever inherits Coddle’s mess will need to rebuild relationships with the priests.
Anonymous at 3:53
DeleteYou should have your mouth washed out with Carbolic, your language is atrocious! Not to mention your innuendos based on nothing but gossip, and your own hatred of The Holy Church.
Which spews out of your bitter mouth.
03.53: What were you drinking when you posted this nonsense? What a piece of crap you are!! You are gutter, trailer trash. Go back to school.
Delete17:17 and 21:19, two aul Ginny Anns (or is it the same Ginny Ann commenting twice?)
DeleteI suppose you think there couldn’t be a Keith O’Brien or Theodore McCarrick among the Irish hierarchy? You can bet your bottom dollar that there are and that is the root of all our troubles.
“Hatred of The Holy Church” and “piece of crap” is it?
The worst “Hatred” - the biggest pieces of crap - are the degenerate bishops, priests and seminarians who are doing the gravest of harm to the Church.
Go back to your embroidery you idiot(s) and keep clutching those pearls around your fat neck(s).
03:53’s language may be somewhat indelicate for the sensibilities of the ladies at 21:19 and 17:17 but he is spot on in his analysis.
DeleteAnonymous at 22:35
DeleteINDELICATE! is an under statement, it stems from a lack of vocabulary and the fact that he is "Low-Life"
Anonymous at 22:24
DeleteI think the only one clutching their pearls is you. It' a pity they are not tight enough round your fat neck to choke you! so we do not have to listen to the rubbish coming out of you disgusting mouth.
Anonymous at 09:41 and 09:26, seriously girls, take your heads down out of your two arseh***s!
DeleteIdiotic morons. Big Albed Joe is it? Or another of Coddle’s boys?
Another piece of negativity and sneering delight by Pat. Always good at soundbytes. Yes, there are changes, difficulties and challenges to be surmounted. We will have to adapt to new realities in a more creative way. It's always easier to diagnose the problem than go actually prescribe the right, effective remedy. Pat knows this as after three decades his howling, criticisms, rants, judgments and sound byte analysis have gone nowhere. We have no new lights on our landscape to draw us to a new, inspiring way. Perhaps if he dropped his vendetta of vengance and merciless judgment we might see his new Larne ablaze with living faith - truly revealing the way of Jesus. I know I'll continue to renew myself first, then try to effect that with those I work with and all entrusted to my care. We are each responsible for the gospel of Christ and part of this vision invites love, tolerance, respect and mercy not the negative, sneering delight at the flaws and failings of others. As Pat knows, this approach has little to show for its nastiness and ugliness in its intentions.
ReplyDeletePeople constantly stop me in the street and say:
Delete"30 years ago we thought you were mad. Now we realise you were right.
Sorry for thinking bad of you".
May i respectfully refer anyone who would like to go to a poem by Paul Durcan- The Death of the Ayatollah Khomeni, the poet had no idea of his foresight and has explicitated further over the years the matter of todays Blog..( oh yes, there is no such word but its meaning so pithy) . I am Bill Mulvihill....no doubt about it...and my mistakes in grammar always deliberate..something i was taught!
ReplyDeleteBilleen Mulvihilleen - a little man seething with anger - absolutely boiling over with rage - since his student days. He often speaks through gritted teeth, comes across as generally apoplectic and barely holding it together.
DeleteAnything I have read about or by Bill Mulvihill has made great sense to me.
DeleteAt least he is not lying low covering things up.
Eamonn Martin would have been a few years ahead of wee Billy Mulvihill in Maynooth. So quite possibly Eamonn is finding wee seething Bill hard to handle! Bill would have the biz on Eamonn.
DeleteWhat is wrong with King Billy of Monasterboice? What has him so pissed off with Eamon Martin and the bishops?
DeleteThat's a great poem by Paul Durcan, and it could be Monasterboice just as easily as Drogheda. Bishop Pat, you should print the text of that poem here for everyone to read.
Wee Billy has the biz on a lot of people. Don't annoy him too much!
Delete@10.57 Is that you Donal O'Neill sneering at Bill Mulvihill, sounds like you. That's all you were ever good at - sneering.
DeleteLet's all join together and head for Larne; alleluia; Let's all do what we like, believe what we like, laugh at, scorn, defame all before us; alleluia. Let's tell Jesus he was very wrong and present him with what we believe, tell him about our God. . Modern day Pharisaism of the worst kind is trotted out on this blog with little effect except to fill hearts with more contemptuous hatred for all things Catholic.
ReplyDeleteNo; just head for Jesus.😆
Delete10.50: Yes Magna, that was to be my last line at 07.57: - Let's go to JESUS....Certainly not Larne....glad you agree!!!
DeleteEr, wherever he may be.😆
DeleteAll so true and no amount of rosary crusades and dedication to Fatima is going to change a thing, as they represent religious formalism in place of conversion. Consider the case of the late great Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen in the USA. He was a towering presence in every respect, lived the Gospel and took Vatican II seriously. So what happened? He was hounded out of Seattle by JPII and Ratzinger. That is why there is NO bishop anywhere in the world who is capable of providing any leadership whatsoever. They are all company men or they would not be in position. If Francis is serious about reform, which I doubt, he has a chance now to appoint bishops in the Hunthausen mode. This begs the question of why he doesn’t: given the quality of priests, there isn’t anybody; like Dermo it’s all talk without substance; he too is essentially a company man. Just ask yourself the question whether Ireland today is a better and kinder place now the Church is shot to pieces and go figure.
ReplyDeleteIreland is shite now, try affording a house to live in around the capital. I wouldn't call that kind.
DeleteTwo Vietnamese men. They'll be popular with the rice-queens at Mo'nooth.
ReplyDeleteReform, renewal, rebuild: in relation to religious beliefs and practices? Such aspirations imply inherent value in religion. Could it be reasonably argued that the younger generation place little value in religion per se and that dwindling involvement in religious practice more accurately indicates this rather than disillusionment with clerical malpractice?
ReplyDeleteThe institutional Roman Catholic Church never put anyone in touch with Christ, but with inner fear: of personal death and of damnation.
DeleteSince becoming the state religion of the Roman Empire, the institutional Church, like Roman emperors themselves, have been preoccupied with controlling others: Rome did it principally through physical threat; the institutional Church less through such threat and more through psychological violence.
The young are right to place little value in religion, because it has always had little of value to offer them.
Dear Bishop Buckley
ReplyDeleteThat is the first time since the death of Tomas O Fiachra that a bishop has been affirming in my regard.
Thank you
Bill Mulvihill
Dear Bill, From what I read and see of you, you are an honest man with integrity.
DeleteYou speak the truth. That takes courage.
Don't change. Stay as you are.
Pat.
I am very tired of how some of my friends have been pathologised by the Institution along the lines of " intrinsic disorder". The Roman Church has always used devious means to keep its dysfunctional strain pure. Maybe this blog can become more positive about a lot of good men. The tragedy of my life as a priest is the deafening silence about all good done and all the good they do. The bishops like it like that...
ReplyDeleteBishop Buckley24 July 2018 at 12:02
DeleteBill,you are right. There are good decent priests beevering away and their efforts are overlooked.
I recently published a blog about the PP of Ahoghill in Antrim - Fr. Hugh O'Hagan - an example of love, simplicity, prayer and massive pastoral activity.
There are many like him.
Sadly the overwhelming church corruption obscures all these good men and their good work.
William Mulvihill, I am shocked that you are even a Member of Holy Mother Church.
DeleteIt is shocking you are on here able to give sound bite do you not have enough duties in your Parish and do you forget your vows to your Bishop.
Yesterday it was all about Meath and 7 not so nice clergy but how about the other 87 are they all bad as well.
Thankfully Archbishop D. Martin has only two years however after the meeting of the families Dublin maybe getting a New Archbishop in Waiting coming from Rome.
Dublin will have a fresh Archbishop and two assistants in the next two years.
12.03 Pat did you ever see the film "Calvary"?
DeleteI did. Impressive.
Delete20.06: What's the relevance of your question????
Delete21.10 I just think that it is tragic that good priests are suffering for the sins of a few. I have known some excellent priests. If only the church had faced the real evil in their midst.
DeleteFr. Ray Kelly on RTE LiveLine yesterday maintaining some kind of conspiracy as Nathan Carter was selected to sing for the pope instead of Ray 'humble is my middle name' Kelly. Ray would like to be asked to duet with Nathan. he was put in his place by Fr Malachy Cusack who told him to stick to being a priest. It all kicked off. Liveline was trending on twitter. Pat would need to listen back to it.
ReplyDeletethe sense of entitlement from Fr Ray Kelly was breathtaking. He didn't get to sing for the Queen and won't be singing for the Pope.
DeleteIt was hilarious. The opening act for JP2 was Casey and Cleary they won't make that mistake again. Nathan Carter an Englishman pretending to be an Irishman pretending to be an American country and western so get.
Deleteshame on Ray Kelly going on the radio and begging to be asked to perform. humble is by no means his middle name. he was suggesting he could be allowed to sing with Nathan - Talk about desperation!
Deletehe made a right show of himself. I listened it to this morning online. He was raging about the whole situation. Cusack fairly gave it to him.
DeleteRay Kelly made quite a feckin eejit of himself. Talk about letting things go to your head???
DeleteHe should have been stood down by his bishop in any case, after the buffoonery that went “viral” on youtube, singing that stupid “Hallelujah” song at that wedding.
A vainglorious idiot. If he wants a singing career leave the priesthood and go and pursue it.
I guarantee he won’t get far with it though. There isn’t much of a market for silly and delusional men, in late middle age, with inflated notions about themselves!
Let’s see now - a choice between the face and arse of Nathan and the face and arse of Ray??? LOLOLOL
DeleteAny self respecting priest would stay clear of tv shows like Britain’s Got Talent. Ray Kelly has shown himself for the publicity seeker that he is. Maybe it’s a Meath thing. He told someone recently who was interested in booking him for a parish concert thar if they wanted him to sing he needed to bring his full band with him - much more Money and expense in otherwise. Not only an attention seeker but a money grabber.
Delete15:26, that literally made me laugh out loud. thanks for making my day lol
Deletehe has an agent in London as well. when asked by Joe Duffy if his agent could have perhaps arranged for him to sing in Croke Park he replied 'I don't think he'd know a lot about that kind of stuff. it's different over there'. In other words, my agent is so brilliant he missed an opportunity for me as a priest to sing for the pope at an international event covered by international media. ray ray ray!!!
Delete"Nathan has no history of performing Everybody Hurts. He has never recorded it and I'm sure he is well aware of my performances on Britain's Got Talent"
DeleteSpoken like a frustrated teenager
they should have asked Pat. he'd get them all on their feet with 'come down from the mountain katie daly'
DeleteWhy was someone from the Free State on "Britain's Got Talent"? Has Meath rejoined the UK?
Delete+Pat you caused a ripple through Meath yesterday. Funny that the diocese of Meath updated it's news category on its website today with a story about Fr Robert McCabe organizing the Meath choirs for the Pope. That's to let you know he's still there. However what about the young new(ish) priest Fr Robert McGivney or what about Fr Dwayne Gavin or Fr Martin Mulvaney or Fr Padraig Corcoran. Are they still with the diocese or not?
ReplyDelete13.58 Why do you keep asking the same question over again from Yesterday about the same Priests. Are you obsessed with them? You said it caused a ripple, what was that exactly?
ReplyDeleteI suppose it means Bp Pat caused waves... again!
DeleteAll readers here should podcast the Joe Duffy show.. it started with a parishioner from Oldcastle bemoaning the fact that their PP Fr Ray wasn't invited to sing for the Pope. Then on comes Fr "Humble" Kelly reminding us that Simon Cowell gave him a standing ovation and then rambling on about Nathan Carter taking over HIS song and how he so wants to do a duet with Nathan. And if I caught it right hes off to sing on a cruise ??. Has his Bishop no control over this self praising priest??.
DeletePat are you DD or BD?
ReplyDeleteI did the Diploma in Theology in Waterford and connected to Maynooth.
DeleteIn 1989 I got an MSSc ( Master Social Science) from Queens in Belfast in Anthropology, Sociology and Political Science.
Pat is BD - Big Diddies haha. Ah no Pat, I'm only joking xx
Deleteare diddies what the irish call breasts?
ReplyDeleteyes hun. we also call them tits or melons.
DeleteI call them starter buttons or the dairy section.
DeleteBp Pat, I suppose if Fr Mo Kelly had won Britain's Got Talent he'd be right to be miffed, but he never even made it to the final. The very lovely Mo Gates stood a better chances of winning.
ReplyDeletePat, young people have and are leaving organised religion - but are very lost in their search for meaning. You condemn the RC Church for its failures - I'm very aware of the failures - but despite your "supposed" new reform, renewal and better way, how many young people walk your "pathway"? I guess your small room is still adequate....after all these years!! You know Pat, if you lived true Christianity - CHRIST - you might make a difference.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that Pat's assistant James McConnell didn't badger Amy the other day when Amy was in Middletown to celebrate the farewell Mass for the St Louis nuns. The sisters have renewed their convent into the ground after 140 years in Middletown.
ReplyDeleteOne of the aged Spirit of Vatican II nuns thanked Amy for "presiding at the Eucharistic Assembly". No big surprise that they are shutting. In 20 years time there won't be a single liberal convent still open in Ireland.
And how would you have preferred her to put it?
ReplyDelete"Celebrating Mass"
DeleteAll present celebrated Mass. Only one presided.
DeletePoor James, doesn't like it when the tide turns against him!
ReplyDeleteHe seems to be messing with the wrong folk with his hideous and outrageous attempted bullying of family and Church just has run out of steam!
Bullies will only run for a short time and then.....
Nasty piece of lonely work.