An Taoiseach Micheál Martin. Photo: Wikimedia Commons / European Parliament. “It appears as if the Taoiseach has forgotten his own words that ‘Israel’s violations of human rights are contravening international law’,” said the Priests Against Genocide IRL-UK group (PAG) to The Irish Catholic following their open letter to the Taoiseach, Tanaiste and Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) Governor. The letter addressed Ireland’s role in enabling the sale of Israeli Bonds in the EU, which requires annual approval by CBI or transfer by CBI to an authority in another EU state.
The letter, signed by Fr Pat Colgan, Fr Gabriel Dolan, Fr Stephen Cummins, Fr Chris McGuinness, Fr Brendan McManus, Fr Joseph McVeigh, and Fr Eamonn O’Connor, argued that the sale of the bonds is “legally, and morally, indefensible” and is in violation of the Genocide Convention. PAG urged the Government to “take urgent steps to stop the CBI transferring the Israel Bonds prospectus to any state.”
Speaking to The Irish Catholic, the priests said they don’t see “sufficient awareness of the interconnectedness between the sale of Bonds to Israel and the plight of starving and homeless children in Gaza” here in Ireland. They noted that while the Irish public is sympathetic to the plight of Gazans, it will require “joined-up thinking” to confront CBI’s “complicity” in genocide through the sale of the bonds.
In their letter, the priests referenced the Vatican’s teaching on ethical investment – Mensuram Bonam. Expanding on this teaching to The Irish Catholic, PAG explained that it argues “there is no neutral use of finances: finances are either used as profit for self or a select group or for the common good of the person and society”. Thus, “The sale of Bonds by the Central Bank of Ireland is not a neutral act.”
When asked about their role as clergymen in speaking out against genocide, the PAG priests identified themselves as not “anti this or pro that” but rather “witnesses to the liberating power of the Gospel.”
“If we fail to speak about Gaza, and other situations of genocide throughout the world, then we fail to be servants of the Gospel,” they continued.