“Faith, Hope and Love” for all…
Cardinal Brady gave the keynote address at the Humber Summer School’s opening last Thursday in Ballina. His emminence used the occasion to appeal to those responsible for the Omagh bombings to come forward. (An always appreciated message) Tacked to the end of the address however was a point on the recent demise of the Lisbon Treaty. Suggesting that the Irish rejection of the treaty was due to a disregard for Christian values on the part of the Union Cardinal Brady spoke of what John Paul II called “loss of Christian memory”.
I am led to wonder whether or not certain sections of our Church have acknowledged just how far european society has secularised. When the vast majority of our people are committed Christians our political system should reflect this. In this point I wholeheartedly agree with the Cardinal.
He argues, as does the Holy Father, that Christian values should be at the heart of Europe along with the reserved position of the Church. The truth, sadly, is that we do not form our politics with the past in mind. Politicians want votes and so they look to the future. It seems that the electorate are areligious. Our politicians are forced then to walk the secular path when introducing legislation.
I have no doubt that things will change and that Europe will regain it’s soul. I don’t know whether the whole soul will be Christian but there’ll be one. The issue today is that our society is hostile to faith and politics mixing. Church control is too much a part of our recent history (thank you John-Charles!) and so the Irish shy away.
While many of us may share Cardinal Brady’s hopes for the future we don’t all expect as much NOW. Ireland and Europe will be ready for faith’s witness but not yet. Any mention of “the special position of the Catholic Church” sort of mentality will lead the world to see us as exclusive.
I would love to see a new Europe which acknowledges its Christian heritage. I would love to see a new Europe which enshrines faith, hope and love in our new constitution - dispelling our threatened culture built on secular despair, lonliness and material selfishness. If this is what the Cardinal is suggesting then count me in.
If, on the other hand, the suggestion is one of an overly pious Europe, too good to be true, where everyone seems to observe holy days for fear of a vengeful God and the hugh ‘minority’ communities of muslims, jews, hindus, buddhists and (God forbid!) those dreaded agnostics and atheists are forced to hide their beliefs…then I’d rather faith, hope and love for all than just our version for us. If we want faith, hope and love enshrined we must begin with ourselves by making sure that no one is marginalised because of our call for respect.
Wednesday, August 27th, 2008 and is filed under Views on News.
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Feargal Says:
I too would love to see a Europe mindful of it’s Christian heritage. A Europe committed to the right to life of all from conception to natural death.
Your last paragraph puzzles me. The word pious means devout coming from the Latin pius (meaning dutiful). As Christians, pious or not, we are called to love our neighbour and our enemy. History has taught us that it has been the non-religious that have forced people to hide their beliefs. Both the Nazis and Stalinists hated religion and between them killed some 20 million people.
August 27th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Ronan Says:
I agree that there is more intolerance in the world’s past from non-religious nations such as your examples.
My fear is the sort of arrogance which can stem from any human power. If the Church is given special position in the Union there is more temporal power there to tempt the men and women that make up the Church. Examples range from the Church of the middle ages to the Irish version under John Charles McQuaid.
My choice of the word ‘pious’ comes not from its originally intended meaning but its modern secular one: “falsely earnest or sincere” and/or sanctimonious
I agree that “As Christians, pious or not, we are called to love our neighbour and our enemy”. My worry is that illusions of power and glory, personally selfish temptations:what the Church calls original sin: could take over if a general “special position” is called for. After all in a currently secular Europe how is it democratic to grant us such a privilaged position?
August 28th, 2008 at 9:21 am