The head of the Catholic Church in Ireland has expressed his concern for Christians in parts of the world who endure suffering and even death for their faith. Unveiling a new statue of St Oliver Plunkett (pictured), the Archbishop of Armagh martyred for his faith in the seventeenth century, Archbishop Eamon Martin said events in Sri Lanka and Burkina Faso were a reminder “that persecution and martyrdom are not something from the past but are a cruel reality today for many of our fellow Christians, of all traditions and denominations”.
Bishops from the Catholic Church and Church of England have formally welcomed the final report by the independent review into Foreign & Commonwealth Office support for persecuted Christians.
The review called on the British government to consider sanctions on countries where Christians are persecuted. The Bishop of Clifton, Declan Lang, lead bishop for international affairs, and the Anglican Bishop of Southwark, Christopher Chessun, said: “We are encouraged that the Final Report by the Independent Review into FCO support for persecuted Christians has grounded its analysis and recommendations in a human rights framework.”
The final report reflects some of the input by the Churches, including mandatory training for diplomats, dedicated funding for promoting freedom of religion or belief and better engagement with faith communities.
Archbishops criticised
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York, Justin Welby and Dr John Sentamu, were among those criticised by witnesses at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) last week. One survivor, former Anglican vicar Matthew Ineson, who was abused when he was a teenager, criticised them both. Ineson said: “I cannot see the face of Jesus in the Archbishop of Canterbury or York. The Archbishop of Canterbury consistently takes no further action and, to me, therefore, condones all these actions.”
Archbishop Welby had earlier told the General Synod meeting in York that the Church’s failure to deal with child sexual abuse was a “knife in our soul”. He told the inquiry that he believed there was a need for mandatory reporting. He also admitted he made a “serious mistake” as Dean of Liverpool in 2011 when an adult accused him of “casual indifference” about a complaint that a member of the cathedral staff had made sexual advances. Welby denied being casual about it, but admitted that he should have suspended the member of staff.
In a pastoral letter, the Archbishop of Birmingham, Bernard Longley, said of the recent IICSA report into the archdiocese: “It is painful to acknowledge the criminal failings of those who abandoned the solemn promises of their ordination to abuse children under the cloak of religion.”
Fr Brendan Hoban (pictured) of the Association of Catholic Priests in Ireland has warned the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, that many Catholics see the “current demonisation of Catholicism as an unfair price to pay” for the inclusive Ireland that voted for gay marriage and legalised abortion.
Writing in the Western People, the Co Mayo-based parish priest acknowledged that while the Church in Ireland has lost much or most of its authority, and “while criticism is devastating and on-going”, at local parish level there is still huge respect for, appreciation of and solidarity with the local priest.
He underlined that the marriage equality referendum and the abortion referendum were only carried because Catholics in their thousands had voted for them.
Abortion decision released
The reasons for the Court of Appeal decision that overturned a court judgment ordering a woman with a “moderate learning disability” who was 22 weeks pregnant to have an abortion have been released.
The original ruling made in the Court of Protection was successfully challenged in the Court of Appeal on 24 June.
The appeal judges said the judge making the original ruling had not paid sufficient attention to the pregnant woman’s feelings.
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