The new Archbishop of Dublin, Dermot Farrell, talks about his priorities for the archdiocese and his appointment at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic has affected so many lives across Ireland.
By Lydia O’Kane
The new Archbishop of Dublin, Dermot Farrell, was installed on Tuesday morning in St Mary’s Pro Cathedral in the Irish capital.
The main celebrant was Archbishop Farrell, who was joined by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin and Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo, Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland.
The former bishop of Ossory, in eastern Ireland, is taking over the reigns of the archdiocese amid a global pandemic during which Ireland has seen an increase in cases and, tragically, the number of casualties.
He also intervenes in this role, as the Church in Ireland faces a number of challenges, such as a decline in vocations, senior priests, a decline in attendance at Masses and an increasingly secular country.
In an extensive interview with Vatican Radio prior to his installation, Archbishop Farrell addressed many of these issues and outlined his key priorities as head of the archdiocese.
He began by talking about his surprise at being appointed Archbishop of Dublin.
“No one was more surprised than me when Pope Francis asked me to move to Dublin. It was a bit surreal at the time, but when I was asked I said I wanted Pope Francis and that I was part of a process of discernment, ”he said.
Current challenges
A decrease in vocations and a corresponding increase in the number of elderly priests are just some of the challenges facing the Church in Ireland today. When asked if he considered these challenges discouraging, the archbishop said there are challenges to the archdiocese and the country in general, but that opportunities can also be considered.
“It can be an engine to drive some somewhat backward reform in terms of the number of churches and parishes we have, because there are big changes, for example, in some parts of the archdiocese where you now have a fairly low Catholic population. “There is an opportunity, he added, to be a missionary Church, and” any planning for the future needs to articulate the steps and stages required to develop ways to get there. “The archbishop also goes. point out that the pandemic had accelerated the challenges rather than provoked them.
Key priorities
In outlining his key priorities for the archdiocese, Archbishop Farrell stressed that evangelization must be one of the key areas of parishes. Faith must be “a living faith in these communities,” he said.
The archbishop also noted that the younger generations (under 50) are less and less inclined to be part of a parish and faith-based groups. “When this happens, several generations are disconnected from the faith.” However, he said, there is an opportunity for young parents to reconnect with the faith when their children begin to receive the sacraments and it is important that the Church be there for those who have a cultural bond with the faith in instead of a compromise. .
Safeguard
Addressing the issue of protection in the Irish church, especially in Dublin, Archbishop Farrell described his predecessor’s leadership as “brave”. Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said, “he arrived in Dublin at a very difficult time … he established very good structures in the diocese.”
The new archbishop stressed that, under his leadership, child protection will continue to be a central point, saying that “complacency is often the killer when it comes to protection … because as time goes on the people forget “. He went on to say that abuses that happened in the past can never be allowed to happen again.
Homes for mothers and babies
Just over two weeks ago, an Irish Commission of Inquiry published a new report on the mother and baby homes in the Republic of Ireland which found that from the 1920s to the 1990s they went thousands of babies die in these homes, run primarily by the Catholic Church. .
Speaking of the findings, Archbishop Farrell said: “It helped shed light on what happened to vulnerable women and children on the walls of these houses, but also beyond the walls of these houses.” He also stressed the need to hold those responsible accountable.
“Religious orders and some individuals failed in some way to reflect the evangelical values we stand for and still stand for,” and in the end, “we lost sight of the gift of the child,” he said.
He described how “a part of the life of faith in these places had become barren and many lived in the shadows of what could be described, at best, as a kind of very dark or gray world. And this is a life different from what we recognize as the full life of God offered to all people (man, woman, and child) who are made in the image and likeness of God.
Covid pandemic
Like many countries, Ireland has been battling the coronavirus pandemic. In recent weeks, this island nation has experienced a significant increase in cases and deaths from the virus, which has led to a total closure by just opening essential stores and getting church services back online.
The archbishop said: “What the pandemic has brought us is the value of life in all its stages, from beginning to end.” He also acknowledged the suffering of many people who have lost loved ones and who cannot even visit hospitalized patients due to current restrictions.
We look forward to Dublin
Asked what kind of Dublin he would like to see, Archbishop Farrell said that, from the Church’s point of view, he would like a parish renewal that was based on hope and joy.
He also spoke of the importance of a “good liturgy” that has the ability to elevate people. Another area highlighted by the archbishop was the issue of vocations, which he said needed to be increased, along with a push to involve the laity in a greater way.
“Sometimes we forget that there are many women, secular, religious who are a necessary and vibrant part of the living Church. Therefore, we must take advantage of all these people who are willing to get involved in the parish and create opportunities for them to participate.
This article has been updated