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DUBLIN, Ireland — Church leaders in Ireland have confirmed that the nation’s diocesan structure will be reconfigured, with some dioceses consolidated into one entity and new bishops appointed.
The decision was made in the wake of a high-level Irish apostolic visitation conducted by the Holy See, which identified governance problems with the present structure and concluded that the local Church was ill-prepared for advancing the New Evangelization in a nation that has witnessed a rapid decline in church attendance and vocations.
The news was announced at a March 20 press conference at St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth, County Kildare, following the publication of the summary of the findings of the Irish apostolic visitation.
Cardinal Sean Brady, archbishop of Armagh, president of the Irish Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin, vice president of the bishops’ conference, and the country’s new apostolic nuncio, Archbishop Charles Brown, were in attendance, a signal that the Church leadership stood behind the findings of the apostolic visitation.
After the announcement, Cardinal Brady was asked to explain why many Irish bishops remained in office, given the report’s criticism of their governance.
“Hopefully we will get more new bishops as soon as possible,” the cardinal replied. “In the meantime, the work must go on. We mustn’t lose heart; we must put our trust in the mercy and forgiveness of God. That’s why I want to repeat again my plea for forgiveness from those who have been abused, and I apologize and offer my deep-felt sorrow.”
He expressed his hope that the Pope would identify “the proverbial ‘new brooms.’ This is a call for the future to look towards renewal by listening to what the word of God says to us humbly and what the Holy Spirit is offering us.”
Cardinal Brady noted that he had requested a new auxiliary bishop in Armagh over two years ago, but he had been told that no one would be appointed until after the visitation was completed.
The summary report stated that the visitation “placed in question the present configuration of dioceses in Ireland and their ability to respond adequately to the challenges of the New Evangelization.”
Asked to explain this finding, Archbishop Martin confirmed that the visitation team had discussed “the unification of the dioceses.”
But he said that this outcome had nothing to do with the episcopate’s handling of the clergy abuse crisis and had been under review before the visitation.
That said, he went on to acknowledge that “there are certainly governance issues.”
Cardinal Brady confirmed that discussion about the re-configuration of Irish dioceses preceded the visitation: “We have made some initial proposals, but we do not want it to be linked to the child sex-abuse matter. As you can see in the report, it is ongoing business.”
“We must remember that this was a pastoral visitation which seeks to understand and work out the implications of faith for a given situation in which the Church finds itself. We mustn’t ever forget that. And it was also to us a help to keep the Church going forward,” said Cardinal Brady.
The summary of the report mentioned “a certain tendency, not dominant, but nevertheless fairly widespread among priests, religious and laity, to hold theological opinions at variance with the teachings of the magisterium,” and Archbishop Martin was asked to comment on that characterization of Church personnel.
Archbishop Martin said that within the Church there is “an understanding of the Church in which the teaching authority is relativized.”
He added: “There are some people in Ireland who would say, ‘Let’s move away from Rome.’ But the role of the Bishop of Rome is fundamental to our understanding of what the Church is.
“There are some issues. I’m not saying that we’re going out heresy-hunting, but what we should be doing is carrying on a dialogue with the theological community, sharpening the reflection in areas that really go beyond what is acceptable in the realm of Catholic theology.”
The apostolic visitation to Ireland included North American Church leaders Cardinal Sean O’ Malley of Boston, New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Toronto Cardinal Thomas Collins, as well as Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’ Connor, emeritus archbishop of Westminster.
During the press conference, the newly appointed apostolic nuncio, Archbishop Brown, framed the report “as policy formulation for the future for the Church in Ireland based on the visitation of four archdioceses in this country and 31 religious communities.”
Judging from the remarks and tone of the press conference, Ireland’s Church leaders have begun to hope that the report’s findings will mark the end of one tragic period in the local Church’s history and the advent of fresh opportunity to rebuild their credibility and re-evangelize a culture that has witnessed a drastic decline in Church attendance and vocations.
Register correspondent James Kelly is a columnist for The Universe, the highest-circulation Catholic weekly in Britain and Ireland, and a researcher at the University of London.
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This renewal of the Irish Roman Catholic Church should set HER on a sound footing for the coming century, for the great good of all the Irish people.
What happens to the “old” bishops who aren’t doing a great job? Can bishops be demoted or are they retired when they are replaced? I think it is part and parcel of Irish anti-authoritarianism, a genetic characteristic, to resist Rome, bishops, anyone who seems to be the boss. Here in the States, our worst problems in the Church come from recalcitrant Irish-American priests of the 1960’s who were and remain anti anything “papal. That is really too bad as B16 is magnificent, both as a theologian and a leader of intrepid courage. But the priests I know who are in the “let’s resist” mode all the time wouldn’t give him credit for anything. Or Cardinal Dolan or Fr. Barron. I call them the Hans Kung guys. I hope and pray for a new future for the Irish church. The Irish have the capacity to be great saints and it would be good to get the obstacles out of the way of their potential fervor and piety.
Generally the catholic community seems to want permissiveness, that is something the Catholic Church is against. In matters of sexual morality, if freedom is given to individuals or society, that will be the end of chastity. Chastity is considered as precious by the Church and it isembedded in the hearts of the faithful. But temptations, modern attractions and secular thinking try to meddle with it. A life of any generation will be deteriorating if sexual discipline is not followed. Civilization built up by generations of wisdom and experience will demolish itself giving place to all anarchy and confusion, fights and peacelessness
For many generations, the rest of the Catholic world has depended on the truly good work of Irish missionaries. It is time to repay the debt and pray daily for the Church in Ireland. How could she so loose her way? What a wakeup call for all of us.
Seems odd that the actions of the Church, the article and the comments here focus on issues that have little to do with the actual problem. We are still in “denial”. The culture in the hierarchy seems to take a grave situation and crime against children and thinks the answer is consolidation of dioceses and greater fidelity to Church teaching. Each side of the Church (right/left) likes to co-opt the scandal and blame the other side as the source of the scandal. Ladies and gentlemen, the problem exists on BOTH the right and left. Children have been attacked by both liberal and conservative priests. Then, the hierarchy, out of a desire to maintain external appearances, engaged in a culture of protectionism and secrecy. The answer to solve this problem is clear. ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY and SCREENING. Bishops and priests should be removed for either actions, coverups and stonewalling, regardless of shortages. And these issues need to be open to public scrutiny and reporting. The Church as BEGUN to do this, but sadly, all too often we find as in Philly and other places the culture of protectionism continues and bishops continue despite past complicity. Many “questionable” priests are still operating. The bishop’s focus is on protecting assets (property and bank accounts) and their reputation more so than the sheep. Millstones await. We can fool ourselves and others, but not God
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