Many words nothing new

Fr Vincent Twomey has an opinion piece in today's Irish Times.

He argues that there are too many bishops in Ireland. He has not too much to say about how bishops are appointed.

Fr Twomey is a retired professor of theology at Maynooth. Presumably he was many years teaching in Maynooth and under many 'leaderhsip regimes'. 'The dogs on the street' knew that all was not well in Maynooth for decades.

Any thinking person, who stood inside the main door at Maynooth had to be forced to ask pertinent if not 'treasonable' questions. What did the upper echelons know?

Every priest who was ever appointed to a senior position in Maynooth was sure to be the 'safest pair of hands'.

The problem of the institutional hierarchical Irish church is far deeper than Vincent Twomey suggests in his opinion piece.

His comment about the 'civil role' of Irish bishops must be of great concern and worry to anyone who hopes we live in a republic.