We need to wake up and get busy re-evangelising Ireland

Dear Editor, We in the Irish Catholic Church would do well to wake up, open our eyes, get a realistic view of each of the 26 dioceses, and begin by discussing the various ills and weaknesses that afflict them. And if we could take a leaf out of the late William Glasser’s ‘Reality Therapy’, it would, I think be very helpful. In fact, it might be no harm for those in authority to provide all the members of our congregations with a set of his questions relating to problem solving.

— Is there a problem?

— What is the problem?

— Who has the problem?

— What needs to be done to solve the problem?

— Who can help solve the problem?

Of course, the first step in all of this is to be in touch with the reality of the situation in our parishes at the moment. And, for example, you don’t have to be a genius to see that none of the 30 children who ‘made their Confirmation’ last Saturday, ever come to Mass in the local church of their own volition. And leaving out those who have come for a grandparent’s anniversary, or such, most of the church on Sunday or Saturday evening is filled almost exclusively with pensioners.

Unrealistic positivity can give us a bit of a lift at clerical gatherings or parish meetings, but once we see the reality the following weekend, it can be a cause of despair and depression. And if “the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind”, it doesn’t mean that we in the Church have to be total dodos.

So let us “arise from our slumber”, respond to the Holy Spirit and get busy, using all our gifts to re-evangelise Catholic Ireland.

Yours etc.,

Fr Patrick Seaver,

Farranshone,

Limerick.