Perhaps it was too soon for Pope Francis to visit Ireland

Perhaps it was too soon for Pope Francis to visit Ireland

For those who participated in events surrounding the World Meeting of Families or the Papal visit, feelings of joy will continue to warm their hearts. Whether it was in the intensive preparations that took place in the dioceses around the country, the pastoral congress in the RDS or events led by Pope Francis this was a time of immense grace for the Church in Ireland.

But, amidst the joy and gratitude, I detect a sober reflection on what detracted from the events. The issue of clerical sexual abuse was always going to be part of the story of any papal visit to Ireland. But many people are left asking whether certain sections of the media dwelt too much on this rather than reflecting the lived reality of the Faith.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster entered the fray this week with his observation that he felt the predominant spirit around the Pope’s visit to Ireland was one of “anger and condemnation”.

“In my experience of other papal visits, as with Pope Benedict’s visit to the UK in 2010, these negative voices give way to a positive and warm expression of welcome to the Pope and joy in the Faith of the Church.

“In Ireland this did not happen,” he said.

He went on to express the view that “the media continued its concentration on past wrongs and the criticism of the Church was sustained”.

Devastating revelations of abuse cover-up from the US days before the Pope was due in Dublin didn’t help.

The fact that prominent campaigners like Colm O’Gorman were dumping on the event before it even happened also meant that the Pope had an uphill struggle to be heard. Every time he spoke about the issue of abuse, the immediate reaction for either “not far enough” or “too little, too late”. It was a no-win scenario for the Pope.

With the benefit of hindsight, he really ought to have given expression to the concrete actions that he intends to take to root out the issue of abuse and punish those responsible for the cover-up. It wouldn’t have curbed the anger, but it would’ve demonstrated more forcibly that the Church was responding to the genuine feelings of many Irish people.

When historians come to write about the legacy of the Papal visit of 2018, the easy part will be the comparisons to John Paul II’s 1979 visit. The more difficult task will be to unpick the long-term impact of the visit. Certainly, they were days that will live on. Days of unparalleled joy and celebration for those who were touched by the Pope or their experiences during the World Meeting of Families.

Questions remain. Was it too soon for a Papal visit to Ireland? Was it unfair to invite the Pontiff into a hostile culture that was perhaps unready to hear his message of atonement for past wrongs and appeal for healing?

Was it a mistake to restrict the Pope from visiting the North? Might a trip North of the border with a focus on all that has been achieved in peace and reconciliation on our island have lightened the mood? Might the Pontiff praying with the DUP’s Arlene Foster and Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill for a return of power-sharing have provided the world’s media with the moment they needed to capture?

The questions are valid, the answers not easy to come by. What remains undeniable is that those who were open to the moment of grace that the papal visit was were not left unrewarded.

A sincere and heartfelt ‘thank you’ to everyone who has called, sent cards or written emails to compliment the IC on the coverage of WMOF and the papal visit. We have been genuinely overwhelmed by the generosity of the feedback and read every line – even if it hasn’t been possible to respond personally. Know that it is appreciated.