This article is from page 14 of the 2011-08-30 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
WELL known Clare priest and rural campaigner Fr Harry Bohan has called for a complete change in the way that the Church in Ireland is organised – with a return to a style of Church that was originally envisioned by Jesus.
Speaking to The Clare People yesterday, Fr Bohan said that the Church in Ireland had never fully embraced the changes suggested by the second Vatican Council which had resulted in an organised Church which was disconnected from the feeling of the people on the ground.
Fr Bohan said that is was because of this historic disconnect with the people that recent scandals with the Church and subsequent cover-ups were allowed to take place.
“As we look to the future of the Church in Ireland, I think that we have to look to the past – Jesus was a man of the people and the Church in Ireland has been one dominated by the hierarchy of clerics. It has been this top-down attitude which has led to the disconnect which exists between the Church and lay society,” he said.
“I think that we need a new defi- nition of leadership in the Church in Ireland. There has to be a systematic change in the way in which the clergy interacts with lay people. The number of priests are declining and there will be a much bigger role for lay people in the Church but that is not the reason why they must be involved – they should be involved because it is there right to be involved.”
Despite the current crisis in the Irish Church, Fr Bohan is confident that there is a future for organised Catholicism in Ireland.
“When you look back through history, which is something that I like to do, you begin to realise that a crisis like this is not something to be feared. It is through things like this that God brings us closer to his people,” he said.
Fr Bohan also described the recent abuse scandals in the Church – the crimes themselves and the Churches decision to hide from the scandals.
“I can say for certain that I didn’t even know that things like that existed,” he said.
“On two levels I’m appalled with the thing. Firstly, the fact that this kind of crime could have been committed, but secondly, the hiding of it.”