Comments

Something is rotten in the state of Ireland — 7 Comments

  1. Ian, that is a superb piece and reflects many of my own thoughts.

    My main quibble would be that you do not go far enough!

    You correctly speak of the deep political malaise in this country. However, I think that it is reflective of the deep social malaise that exists in Ireland, but mostly goes unheeded.

    Beyond the terrible deeds that we have read in the past few days about, I think that the manner in which faith-based schools have educated generations of us (myself included) to think in a conformist, unimaginative, and conservative manner that never truly questions either authority or the manner in which this society works has truly hindered the development of this country.

    Incredibly, your concerns are not likely to be misplaced when you fear that this will be old news in a week or so. Yet think about that – many institutions of authority within the Irish State have been found to have been knowingly complicit in the atrocious and sustained abuse over decades of children and we, as a society, will move on from it in jig time.

    “Sure, the State will sort that out now. We said our piece.”

    What sort of society behaves like this?

    Unfortunately, as I wrote yesterday, the answer to that is a society in which you can see still see today much of the same indifference and ingrained beliefs about how not everyone should be treated with dignity and respect.

    Anyway, I hope that this does not read too much like a rant.

  2. I would concur completely. I think that the only way in which the church might redeem itself is for it to humbly step back from all positions of influence and adopt the attitude of servanthood found in the Gospels, and for the orders to voluntarily agree to meet their moral obligations. I would not expect either to happen.

  3. “there will be neither civil proceedings nor criminal prosecutions arising from yesterday’s report”
    … and because they’re Catholics, they’ve probably confessed and had it all forgiven! Very tidy!

  4. I don’t believe Ireland’s rotten though. The airwaves are abuzz with indignation, which proves the populace is sound even if they are not being served well by the institutions of government (but we knew that anyway and it is the same everywhere else).

  5. Which is why I think the analogy of an unweeded garden is appropriate. The test that lies ahead is whether there is the will to pull up the weeds.

  6. Agreed.

    Sexually repressed power freak society.

    Wouldn’t it be nice to see the RC Church as a servant of the people rather than the lord of the manor. Unfortunately, based on the current top down theology, this is probably not on the cards. And it is a great injustice against those who have always served, honourably and in good faith.

  7. Pól,

    I’m gobsmacked that a week on and there is barely a hint of humility on the part of the orders. They are making no concessions whatsoever.

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