Weigel suggests massive pruning of Irish hierarchy
July 29, 2011
George Weigel questions how Ireland, once thought to be the most Catholic of European countries, "has become the most stridently anti-Catholic country in the Western world."
The process is not entirely unique, he observes. Other staunchly Catholic countries and regions--Spain, Portugal, Quebec (one might add Massachusetts)--have seen the same mass desertion of the faith, followed by a mounting hostility to Catholicism.
Regarding Ireland, Weigel joins the ranks of those calling for "a wholesale replacement of the Irish hierarchy." The idea has merit. But wouldn't the same logic apply to the American hierarchy, which was found guilty several years earlier of the same gross mishandling of the sex-abuse crisis?
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Posted by: -
Jul. 30, 2011 3:09 PM ET USA
One of the many perceptive comments on this article which came from Ireland read: "Not all our bishops need to go and we certainly don't want any of those equally shady characters from America, thank you very much."
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Posted by: lauriem5377 -
Jul. 30, 2011 9:10 AM ET USA
Yes, prune, prune, prune everywhere! We are much better off with far fewer shepherds who practice and spread the true faith - than all the others who either lead or drive so many Catholics away from the Church. It is often hard for the laity to stay on the true path when so many clergy are preaching and doing things that violate our Lord's teachings. And the Church itself is spending so much energy and resources on these problem clergy instead of on spreading the Word.
