Finding fresh perspectives on issues of faith

When it comes to the Church and religious matters it’s hard to find a perspective that’s different, new, unpredictable, fresh or unique.

I got all of that on The Leap of Faith (RTÉ Radio One, Friday) when Michael Comyn interviewed Vincent Doyle who supports the children of priests through his initiative Coping International. His book Our Fathers explores the matter further. This was no Church-bashing exercise, but seemed a more thoughtful, nuanced approach from within the Church. Mr Doyle studied theology in Maynooth and Mater Dei, having always found himself drawn to the Church and the Faith. It was only during his studies that he found out that he was the son of a priest – this ‘aha moment’ explained a lot for him.

Pastoral

His main concern was the pastoral care and support for children in this situation. He found an open door and a positive welcome when he approached the Church authorities on the issue, a sense that the Church was going to get this right. In particular he valued the welcome he got from Archbishops Diarmuid Martin and Charles Browne, then Papal Nuncio.

He questioned the default practice of priests being suspended from ministry when the existence of such children came to light – this could be disadvantageous to the child – e.g. having a now unemployed father who had lost the position that was his life’s commitment. This practice also drove the silence around the issue. Now he found it was more of an option for the priest to re-commit to chastity and acknowledge the child.

He said people expected him to call in his book for the abolition of celibacy. But he thought if improvements and solutions were dependent on that, then “the children would starve”. It was however an issue that couldn’t be avoided. It wasn’t just a lack of good priests, he said, but “a lack of good fathers who are priests”. Teasing that idea would have been interesting but the interview ended too quickly.

Also with an interesting perspective was Sr Patricia Murray, Executive Secretary of the International Union of Superiors General (UISG). Speaking of the role of women in the Church she saw a distinction between ordained ministry and decision-making. She had seen a lot of changes in the papacy of Pope Francis, with many more women being appointed to key roles in the Church. Mr Comyn raised the issue of women priests, which, he suggested, was the “final phase in the search for equality” but Sr Murray had a different view – equality wasn’t about everyone doing the same thing but about parity of esteem for different ministries.

Vaccines

Meanwhile, back in Covid-19 territory, Fr Vincent Twomey SVD, moral theologian, reviewed the moral aspects of the vaccines in an interview on The Pat Kenny Show (Newstalk, Wednesday) Fr Twomey made the case that it was a moral duty, “under certain conditions” to take the vaccine in order to protect others who were vulnerable and for the common good of society. In his case it was the older people in his immediate community. On the other hand, he was not in favour of the State making it mandatory on its citizens though he allowed for certain employments to insist on it for the employees if they were working with vulnerable people, without sacking anyone over it. A temporary removal from employment might be necessary, but with Government support kicking in.

On the concerns of pro-life people over how vaccines were derived or tested, he sought to reassure, pointing to the Vatican’s approval of taking these vaccines. It was a useful and different contribution to the debate, but what bugged me was Mr Kenny’s reference to “what is termed the pro-life movement” – a qualifying reference I’ve never heard him apply to other movements – e.g. Black Lives Matters. In fact the only other example I can think of is the media’s almost universal use of the term ‘so-called ISIS’. Back in the 1980s I remember the late Brendan Shortall calling him out live on air for his reference to the ‘so-called Pro-Life Amendment Campaign’. Leopards and spots occur to me.

Finally, it was striking how many prejudices and stereotypes relating to Catholicism were in the mix in the British cop series Waking the Dead, (Drama channel, Tuesday). This melodramatic potboiler featured an Opus Dei assassin, a pro-choice seductress of bankers who was also a member, a sly dig at a ‘good Catholic girl’ and an old favourite, Catholic guilt.

Pick of the week

Mass

RTÉ One Sunday February 21, 11am

Fr Paul Thornton with a congregation and musicians from Brakenstown parish, Swords, Co. Dublin, marks the start of Lent with a Mass celebrating the work of Trócaire.

Great Britain in Focus

EWTN Wednesday February 24, 11am

A new magazine programme featuring guests and discussions relevant to current events in the Church, contemporary culture, and life as a Catholic in the modern world.