Cathal Barry
‘Hostile’ media alienating youth from Church – claim
The country’s newest bishop has urged parishes to reach out to those Catholics who no longer practise their faith and vowed to work to engage with young people who feel alienated from the Church.
New Bishop of Waterford & Lismore Dr Phoncie Cullinan stressed the need to take the example of Pope Francis and to reach out to those “who have turned away from the practice of the faith, many of whom are in our own families and parish communities”.
He told the large congregation gathered in the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity in Waterford City that we must find a way to “walk with them in a way that will help them to see once more the beauty of following Jesus”.
Bishop Phoncie said that “out of love of Jesus” we must put ourselves at the service of others especially those most in need in our society such as “the poor, the sick, the vulnerable, those who feel alienated from God, and those on the margins”.
Alienating
Speaking to The Irish Catholic, the prelate accused the media here of being “hostile” to the Church and alienating young people from the Faith.
“There is no doubt about that. That’s not being negative. That’s just being realistic,” he said.
Dr Cullinan, who has extensive experience working as a youth chaplain at Limerick Institute of Technology, also warned that young people were being fed “lies” which prevented them from leading enriched lives.
“I believe that so many of our young people are being sold so many lies which don’t lead them to fulfilment or happiness,” the bishop said.
“When you take young people out of that environment and put them into a place where they can express themselves more clearly, where you can talk to them about all things spiritual you can get so much across of the truths of what Christ is proposing to us.
“Christ is not here to complicate our lives, but to show us how to be truly free,” he said.
