‘I imagine all our faiths are being challenged by coronavirus ... wondering why God would allow such havoc to be wreaked on our civilisation’
In our continuing series, we talk to leading figures about their faith
Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick is a member of the House of Lords and a former leader of the SDLP. Q Can you tell us about your early life and background? A I was born at the Downe Hospital in Downpatrick in March 1958 and I was christened in St Patrick’s Church, Downpatrick.
I attended Holy Family Primary School in Teconnaught, about five miles from Downpatrick, then St Mary’s High School, Downpatrick and Queen’s University, Belfast, where I graduated with a degree in geography and political science.
I also completed a post-graduate course for personal assistants at the College of Business Studies in Belfast.
I joined the SDLP in 1980 and have held many internal and external elected positions, from councillor to MLA, MP and Minister for Social Development.
I was leader of the SDLP from February 2010 to November 2011 and I have been a member of the House of Lords since November 5 last year.
I also worked for, and with, the late Eddie Mcgrady, who was the MP for South Down for 16 years.
I have one brother, John, who is over five years older than me and is a retired registered psychiatric nurse.
My late parents, John and Rose, were both psychiatric nurses at the Downshire Hospital in Downpatrick. My mother came from Cavan in the mid 1940s to Downpatrick.
I have no nephews, or nieces, but I am very close to my cousin’s children, who are now grown-up and graduated from university and some are married with children.
Q How and when did you come to faith? A I was born into the Catholic faith — my parents were devout Catholics. We lived over two miles from our local church. When I was growing up, we didn’t have a car.
My parents brought us to Mass and Devotions on a Sunday night. During Lent, they sent us to Mass every day. My brother was an altar server until he was 14-years-old.
In our house there were plenty of holy pictures of the Sacred Heart and Our Lady and my mother — like many people of her generation — had loads of Novena books. Family prayer was an essential part of our home life, including the Holy Rosary.
Faith was an essential personal guiding part of our life.
Q Does this faith play a real part in your life? Or is it only for Sundays? A My faith still plays an important and real part in my life. I am not a Sundays-only Catholic. Quite often, I go during the week, once or twice if I can. I also attend on the holidays of obligation.
Faith is part of what I am — it informs my attitudes towards charitable giving, social justice and helping people.
In many ways, it helped to shape my political way of life and gave me that resilience and fortitude which we all need in times of challenge.
Q Have you ever had a crisis of faith, or a gnawing doubt about your faith? A Crises of faith did present themselves to me with all the references to abuse of children and young people in the Church. I had to allow my faith, which is about God’s forgiveness and bountiful mercy, to guide me through all this.
It never stopped me from practising as a Catholic, attending and participating in the eucharist of the Mass.
In many ways, my Catholic faith has shaped and guided me. I would imagine all our faiths are particularly challenged at the moment with the coronavirus world pandemic, wondering why God would allow such havoc to be wreaked upon our civilisation.
Again, prayer is there as our guiding light through all of these problems. For me, faith is private and personal and should not be imposed on people.
Q Have you ever been angry with God? And, if so, why?
A NO.
Q Do you ever get criticised for your faith? And are you able to live with that criticism? A I have never been criticised for my faith. There will be general criticisms of Catholicism, but I believe that faith is a universal feature that rises above such objections.
Q Are you ever ashamed of your own Church, or denomination?
A No. I have never been ashamed. But I feel that they should have acted more quickly in the whole child abuse area. To me, that was a grievous sin. People who have committed wrongs against fellow citizens, including priests, should be subject to the due process of the legal and judicial system.
Q Are you afraid to die? Or can you look beyond death?
A I suppose, in many ways, I look beyond death. I believe in Heaven — a state of grace — and, in that respect, I want to be reunited with my parents, family and friends. I also don’t think of death, although these days the coronavirus make us think more about our mortality and the fragility of human life.
Q are you afraid of hell?
A To be quite honest, I don’t think about it. I simply lead my life of service on earth to the best of my ability.
Q Do you believe in a resurrection?
A I do believe in resurrection — it gives us that sense of expectation and hope. It is Heaven; that state of grace, hope and redemption.
Q What do you think about people of other denominations and other faiths?
A I have enormous respect for people of other denominations and other faiths and those who do not have faith.
For me, faith is personal and private and one should not impose your beliefs on others.
Q Would you be comfortable in stepping out from your own faith and learning something from other people? A I still want to learn about other faiths within Christianity and Islam.
Q
Do you think that the Churches here are fulfilling their mission? A
Churches need to step out of their comfort zones and take up Christ’s mission to go out to all communities and demonstrate that social justice mission of helping people get through their everyday lives.
In today’s world, they are being challenged by coronavirus and dwindling congregations. They have to show how God’s message of help, service, forgiveness, mercy and support is relevant in our lives. In many ways, our work is our prayer.
Q Has religion helped, or hindered, the people of Northern Ireland? A In many instances, religion has helped and supported people in Northern Ireland through some of our dark days. Religion has been used as a figure of division — Northern Ireland is a society divided along political identities.
Religion should not be used as a dividing line. Our national saint, Saint Patrick, belongs to all of us.
He is the epitome of reconciliation and a central figure of Christianity on the island of Ireland.
Q Why are so many people turning their backs on organised religion? A People, in many instances, have turned their backs on organised religion because they did not see religions and Churches as relevant to their lives. Religion has to become part of our everyday lives.
Organised religion has to be seen as part of our lives and less of a chore.
Q What is your favourite film, book and music? A My favourite film is How Green Is My Valley — a film about life in the Welsh mining villages and probably the first film I watched as a child. I was just over eight when we got a television in our house.
My favourite book is Hillary Clinton’s book about her political life, What Happened. My favourite music is Fleetwood Mac — uplifting.
Q Where do you feel closest to God? A In the countryside, where you are exposed to all God’s creation — flora, fauna, wildlife, drumlins, green landscape and the Mourne Mountains.
Q What inscription would you like on your gravestone, if any? A I am not interested in personal inscriptions, but simply a religious invocation.
Q Finally, have you any major regrets?
A none.