Tolerance and respect belong to us all, religious or otherwise

WHEN Pope Francis visits Ireland this Saturday it will mean different things to different people as never before has Irish society been so divided on its views regarding the church. In the census of 2016 over 78 per cent of people ticked the box ‘Roman Catholic’. And for all the secularism that has come to shape Irish society, the dominant religion of the State remains Catholic. Indeed, a recent study of religious affiliation conducted by the Catholic third level institutions of St Mary’s University, Twickenham and the Institut Catholique de Paris revealed that Irish people in the 16-29 age bracket were amongst the most religious in Europe.

People are right to feel Pope Francis should use this opportunity to address the wrongdoings perpetrated by his church that date back as far as the foundation of the State when the church filled the power vacuum left by the British. This transition paid scant regard for an emerging society, especially women who suffered most under the church’s heavy handed views on sexual mores.

But there is little this editorial can add to the litany of public outrage already articulated by so many people; a society that suffered shamelessly at the hands of people who used the cover of God to inflict horrific hardships on children and young women.

Absent on Saturday will be the blanket deference that marked much of Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1979 but this weekend’s Meeting of Families will still draw over 750,000 people to Dublin and Knock.

Yes, Ireland is now a more secular country. A country where our Taoiseach is gay; a country of marriage equality; a country that voted to repeal the Eighth Amendment; a country whose former President is now one of the Vatican’s biggest critics. The power now lies with the people, not the church. This much is a given.

But with power must also come obligation. Voicing opposition in a controlled and channelled way is necessary if those who proclaim Ireland is a new and modern place is to be effective. For this reason Saturday’s visit must be seen as an opportunity by those opposed to Pope Francis.

Resorting to trendy atheism is not an option. Hitching a ride on the backs of those who genuinely suffered at the hands of the church in order to score points is wrong. The voices of opposition should, first and foremost, be the victims. The converse of this is people lining up to score cheap points, which is tantamount to a wasted opportunity.

Respect and tolerance are also essential elements of a secular Ireland. If people want to idolise Pope Francis, it is their right to do so without fear of ridicule. Pope Francis’ popularity crosses all generations but he appeals most to a generation of mothers and fathers, grandparents, aunts and uncles - people whose religious faith was formed in a vastly different Ireland.

It’s a cohort of people for whom faith is a determining factor. A self-sustaining force through good times and bad which needs to be respected. A secular society is all about embracing change, not about eradicating the voices we disagree with.

True tolerance and respect are human qualities beyond the control of mankind. Such qualities can be espoused by everyone, whether religious or not. Perhaps this should be the universal message ahead of the Pope’s visit.