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25 June 1998 Edition

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The challenge facing Irish church leaders

by Fr Joe McVeigh

It was rather distressing to hear the Archbishop of Cashel, Dr Clifford criticise the GAA for refusing to remove Rule 21 which bars RUC and British soldiers from playing Gaelic Games. His remarks that northerners exerted what amounted to intimidation are deeply insulting and arrogant.

It is typical of the arrogance of some people in high office in the church. They adopt a high moral tone and show contempt for the wishes of the people. It would be much more appropriate for the Bishop to address the issue of intimidation inflicted by the RUC and British army in order to give people - the young people especially - confidence in the possibility of change by peaceful non-violent means.

In the wake of the Stormont Agreement church leaders are being challenged as never before to speak out for justice and equality. The Agreement has not brought this about nor will it unless the pressure is put on by people in power who want to see a just and lasting peace. For many years of the conflict church leaders have been content to appeal for an end to paramilitary violence and for reconciliation. They never addressed the issue of state violence and institutionalised injustice which are at the root of the conflict.

The creation of a just and lasting peace on this island after centuries requires a more dynamic input from the churches. In other conflict situations around the world, such as South Africa, the churches have made a significant contribution to the struggle for justice and human rights by their symbolic actions and by their forthright statements calling for an end to injustice.

The conflict here over the last thirty years has been about rights. This must be confronted by all of the church leaders. They must all deal with the core issue and stop trying to avoid it.

The core issue, which must be resolved if there is to be a lasting peace, is the denial of the democratic rights of a section of the Irish people by those in power. Nationalists living in the six counties have been systematically denied their rights as Irish people. They have been treated as second class citizens under British Rule.

I think it is fair to say that this situation of gross injustice has been condoned over many years by all the churches. Church leaders have for the most part (there have been a few honourable exceptions) remained silent or ignored this situation. They have preferred to support the status quo and have ignored the violence of the state.

We may ask why the Irish church leaders have not confronted this unjust situation which is an affront to human dignity and is therefore contrary to the Gospel of Christ. Church leaders, according to the Catholic Church's own teaching in Vatican II and elsewhere have a moral responsibility to speak out and to take sides - however unpopular this may be with sections of their congregations. They have a duty to give witness. What has happened to the Irish churches when you have an archbishop who comes out publicy against the wishes of the people?.

It becomes clear from a look at our history that the churches in Ireland have for pragmatic reasons become too much identified with the political establishment and with wordly power. In doing so they have tended to forget their true mission to ``bring good news to the poor'' etc. Local churches within the Catholic tradition are influenced by the Vatican which tends to side with the right wing reactionary powers.

We see from history that the church is at its best and is true to the gospel when it takes sides with the oppressed - not the powerful. We see that the church is at its weakest when it claims to be neutral or non-political.

It is now time for the leaders of the churches in Ireland to take a stand for human rights and equailty. They must speak out against the situation where the rights of one section are denied because of their professed nationality or religious beliefs (or both) and the privileges of another section are promoted and upheld by the British government.

All church leaders must now call on Mr Blair and the British government to stop provocative Orange marches in nationalist/Catholic districts. Far from being religious and cultural these Orange parades are displays of triumphalism and superiority.

Church leaders have not only a right but a duty to oppose these injustices and to do so publicly. It is not enough to make ``private'' representations. The churches must witness publicly.

In opposing the unjust political system in the north of Ireland which brought about the conflict it is inevitable that church leaders are perceived as taking sides - in this case primarily the side of the oppressed nationalist/Catholic community. This does not mean that church leaders are not concerned about unionist rights as citizens in a democracy where all are treated as equals. It simply means that the churches show clearly that they want equality for all and they want an end to triumphalism and domination. They take the side of justice and equality.

That is a priority if we are going to have a lasting peace. In opposing injustice the churches are taking the side of peace and we are laying the foundations for true reconciliation in this country. Attempting to reconcile unionists and nationalists without working for an end to the political system based on partition, which has always promoted second class citizenship, is futile.

The churches could begin to define a new role in the political sphere by publicly demanding that the British government implements the Stormont Agreement in full, especially in relation to Justice, Equality and Human Rights. They can show that they are about justice and human rights by forthright statements condemning institutional injustice and calling for the creation of a just and impartial police service. The churches in Ireland can now show the world that change is possible by peaceful non-violence means. When that happens the churches in Ireland will have entered a new era and might find credibility with the people who have been marginalised.

Fr Joe McVeigh is associated with the Centre for Human Rights, Springhill, Belfast and is editor of ``The Irish Witness''.

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