‘Pray like St Patrick’ says Primate as outbreak worsens

Archbishop Eamon Martin has called on Irish people who are anxious or frightened by the coronavirus outbreak to pray St Patrick’s famous breastplate prayer. He said this is to remember those who have contracted coronavirus and health care workers “who are bravely and selflessly” caring for them.

The archbishop said that “these days I find myself praying St Patrick’s breastplate prayer where he invites Christ to surround him with a ‘forcefield’ of protection – ‘Christ with me, Christ on my right and left. Christ beneath me and above me, behind and before me’”.

Speaking in Maynooth he said: “Our ancestors had dozens of these so-called lorica prayers asking God’s protection for their families and animals – from floods and storms, from diseases and hunger and evil. One of my favourites is the saying ‘Dia idir sinn agus an t-olc – God between us and all harm.”

Archbishop Martin reminded the Faithful that “as committed Christians we are never completely isolated or alone…in the weeks and months ahead our Church can provide vital spiritual leadership. Our parishes are likely to be called upon provide that leadership, charity, outreach and care to the sick, frail and elderly as well as consolation and comfort to the bereaved.”

He added: “We are being reminded of the fragility of human life and of our dependence on one another and on God. Pray for an outpouring of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, for a spirit of generosity and self-sacrifice, compassion and charity in Ireland.

“Pray for the virtues of patience and perseverance and for the composure to overcome any temptation to despair or selfishness which can sometimes accompany public alarm,” he said.

Meanwhile, leading theologians have warned against the immorality of panic buying and selfishness against the common good.

Fr John Harris OP, a lecturer in moral theology in Dublin, told The Irish Catholic that adhering to health experts, prayer and “trust in God” are needed.

“The prudent thing is to follow the best medical advice we can, that’s the first thing we have to do, the prudent thing is we must care for ourselves and care for each other, and we have a moral obligation not to become so self-centred that you don’t care for everybody else,” Fr Harris said.

Consideration

Fr Vincent Twomey SVD said his main concern was people panicking, which he described as a “lack of trust in God’s providence and a lack of consideration for other people”.

“I think that the panic is what I would find most alarming and most upsetting. People, especially if they’re alone, they feel frightened.

“This panic buying is really, in a sense, an offence against solidarity, in a situation of a pandemic or epidemic, solidarity

is so important. It imposes other obligations on us to help those that are alone, that are sick, that are afraid to go out because they might contract the virus, to make sure that these people are actually seen to.”

Dr Niamh Middleton of DCU, lecturer in moral and systematic theology, told this paper that although panic buying is immoral, it is up to the Government to prevent fear spreading which can impede moral freedom.

“Fear can cause people to do things they wouldn’t normally do. Panic buying in itself would be considered immoral since it can cause shortages, but those who panic buy would not be considered immoral as they are in the grip of a powerful emotion that greatly reduces their moral freedom,” she said.

“The responsibility therefore lies with the government to take the necessary steps to calm things down and prevent panic buying.

Supplies

Buying necessary supplies to support an individual or a family is fine, according to lecturer Dr Thomas Finegan of Mary Immaculate College, but the stockpiling of certain goods “to the extent whereby you deprive other people of fair opportunity of getting necessary provisions for themselves, is wrong”.

“If you’re rocking up to a kiosk with a trolley full of anything, first of all you’re not taking your fair share, you’re taking a disproportionate amount of whatever the good is and you’re also setting a bad example whereby other people think they can and should do the same.”