This appears on Facebook.
Why is it a picture of all the men with their backs to the camera?
Five men; are they chatting? All dressed in similar attire. One is reminded how the Legionnaires of Christ students and priests all dress in clerical attire, almost army-like in style.
Has anyone, who walks the hills, valleys and boreens of Ireland, ever seen serious hikers sporting a haversack and a sports jacket? It’s always advisable to wear headgear when out in the open. Only in recent days the Irish Cancer Society has been advising people to cover their heads when walking.
What at all is going on in the world of social media?
To some readers this might sound harsh; that is not the intention. There seems to be a strong push to bring us back to another era, in some ways it’s a phenomenon that Donald Trump has used to his advantage. But where at all is it leading us?
Are there not enough divisions in the world, among us human beings without dividing spirituality into one for women and one for men.
Yes, in the recent past there was a female spirituality. But what actually does it mean?
It may sound unfair and hyperbolic but this Facebook picture might to some be reminiscent of the Napola schools the Nazis introduced for their so-called elite young men.
Is there ever a word on this social media platform about social justice, how the migrant population is treated in Ireland, the growing divide between rich and poor, the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine?
What exactly is spirituality? How can the Gospel of Jesus Christ be told, explained, talked about differently to women and men?
Has the Catholic Church not learned the disasters it has helped cause in how it treats and has treated women?
Archbishop of Dublin, Dermot Farrell has to be commended for his Facebook comment yesterday, criticising the recent attacks on the Indian community in Dublin.
Below is the archbishop's Facebook statement:
"Recent attacks on members of the Indian community in Dublin have been truly shocking. These unprovoked attacks on people, including a child, who were apparently targeted solely because of their ethnic identity have generated understandable fear and alarm among the Indian community.
The truth is that the Indian community in Dublin comprises many people who have come to Dublin to make an important and valued contribution to our society. We are all familiar with the vital presence of Indian professionals in our healthcare system, without whom many healthcare needs simply could not be met. Others apply their skills in other important sectors of the economy and also contribute to funding public services through their taxes.
It is not only through their work lives that our Indian neighbours and fellow citizens are enriching our society. The diversity of Indian culture and traditions add to the vitality of life in Dublin. In particular, many Indian families are playing an increasingly prominent role in the parishes and school communities of the Archdiocese of Dublin. Indian priests, religious and lay volunteers are an increasingly important presence in the pastoral life of the Church in Dublin. That gives the lie to the vile and blasphemous claims of some who spread the poison of racial hatred on social media and otherwise that their views are somehow protecting Christianity.
It is time to call out those who peddle racial hatred. It is time to stand up to those who seek to divide our community through rumour and malice. Our parishes and school communities have already given a warm welcome to Indian families who have made their homes here. I urge them to strengthen that spirit of solidarity, not only with Indian members of parish communities, but with all our Indian neighbours. I call on everyone to support the Gardaí in every way to confront and defeat those whose actions have contributed to the fear now being experienced in the Indian community in Dublin.
Dermot Farrell
Archbishop of Dublin"
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