Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin has spoken out against recent incidents of racism in Ireland, decrying intolerance as well as narrow minded and judgemental attitudes within Church communities.
At Dublin’s Pro Cathedral on Sunday, the Archbishop said racist intolerance is always “an affront to the dignity of those who are its objects”.
He said the Church must be a place where people are welcomed, respected and cherished even in their difference.
“Hatred and intolerance can never foster goodness and love. Hate language can never be reconciled with the teaching of Jesus. When believers and indeed Church communities become narrow minded and judgemental, they leave people marginalised and unloved with their hope blunted and their dignity broken,” he said.
Dr Martin also highlighted the growing polarisation within the Church and expressed concern over those who feel that they are zealously defending the Church while being intolerant and disrespectful to those with whom they disagree.
Throughout the Church’s history some believers have built “barriers of narrowness and bitterness”, thinking they are being zealous in defending the message of Jesus, he noted but added that “The teaching of Jesus can never envisage intolerance or bigotry towards people we consider different. The truth must always be sought in love.”
More widely, Archbishop Martin also expressed concern over growing racism and intolerant language within Irish society.
“I am scared when I hear stories of racist intolerance by groups of young people. They may not realise how damaging their behaviour is, but racist language is never fun. Racist intolerance is always dangerous language and is always a one-way street towards negativity and disrespect. Intolerance is always an affront to the dignity of those who are its objects.”
Dr Martin’s comments follow the publication of a video on social media showing a young woman, Xuedan (Shelley) Xiong, being allegedly racially abused before she was pushed backwards by a group of young people into the Royal Canal in Dublin on Friday evening.
According to Ms Xiong, before being pushed into the canal, one member of the group of youths had referenced the Coronavirus and made other racist comments.
She told RTE Radio on Sunday, “They targeted me and there was a racial element there.”
Fr Paddy Byrne, a priest of Kildare and Leighlin, tweeted in response to the incident: “As an Island, we have embraced values of inclusion, equality, tolerance and compassion. This image of a lady being so racially bullied and violently attacked makes us all feel simply ...... sickened.”
Speaking to The Tablet, Fr Byrne criticised “staunchly traditional Catholics” who are more concerned if the rubrics of the liturgy are correct than if their neighbours down the road in a direct provision centre are sharing one toilet among 39 people.
“We are living through a pandemic where fear can give rise to blame. I am very worried about attitudes such as Islamophobia and Sinophobia. What happened at the canal in Dublin was disgusting. To push a woman into the canal – what will they do to their future partners?”
“As a Church we have to be vociferous in celebrating difference and gesture is very important.”
The parish priest recalled how before the pandemic his parish of Abbeyleix had celebrated a‘Sunday of Welcomes’= ritual for people in the locality belonging to different creeds, an occasion which he described as one of the proudest moments of his ministry.
Fr Byrne, who has been highly critical of Ireland’s controversial direct provision system for refugees, called for better education of young people about racism and for more effort to integrate migrants and refugees into faith communities.
He said Irish society needed to stop turning a blind eye to issues such as hotbeds where migrant workers in industries such as meat plants were being put at risk of contracting Covid-19 due to their circumstances.
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