Is that for real? Surely a typical image of Pope Francis is one of an avuncular, smiling, grandfather-like octogenarian? Well, anyone who follows the Zenit website with its almost daily (and sometimes more than daily) dispatches from Rome will know that the Pope has been extremely busy recently. In this article, I will refer to two events of perhaps historic significance – his journey to the United Arab Emirates and the Summit on the Protection of Minors.
In early February, Pope Francis paid a short visit to the United Arab Emirates. (Readers will be interested to know that the co-ordinator of the Papal Visit to UAE was Irishman Fr. Michael O’Sullivan, a native of Kilrush, Co. Clare. Fr. Michael joined the White Fathers and has worked in many areas of the Middle East and North Africa.) The Irish media paid very little attention to the visit and yet it has the potential to be one of the most significant of all Papal visits. It was ground breaking enough for being the first visit of a Pope to the Arabian peninsula and providing the occasion of a huge open air Mass in a football stadium with a congregation of over 120,000 – mainly Filipino and Indian migrant workers, but also including an estimated 4,000 Muslims.
Even more significant is the Document on Human Fraternity signed by the Pope and Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb. This joint declaration on Human Fraternity, called for all concerned parties to promote religious freedom, protect places of worship, and offer citizenship, even to religious minorities. This is a lengthy document which can be read in full on the Vatican website (or by simply googling e.g. Pope Francis and Grand Imam joint declaration). Indeed near the end it is asked that the Document “become the object of research and reflection in all schools, universities and institutes of formation, thus helping to educate new generations to bring goodness and peace to others, and to be defenders everywhere of the rights of the oppressed and of the least of our brothers and sisters.”
It is refreshing to read that the United Arab Emirates have a Ministry for Tolerance, and that the joint document condemns all violence in the name of religion, supports human rights and refers to the two wings of peace namely education and justice.
Of course we in the West might be inclined to look on the UAE as a country which, being oil rich needs the Filipinos and Indians to do the jobs their own citizens won’t, and therefore needs to keep the 10% of its population onside by granting such freedoms, and only does so reluctantly. Apparently, this is not the case – witness the growth since the 1960s of the Catholic Church (and Anglican and Orthodox Churches) in the region and the building often with help from the authorities of some wonderful church buildings.
At all events, let us rejoice that this visit took place and pray that the fruits of it will be felt in the months and years ahead.
In advance of the Summit on the Protection of Minors which was attended by 190 bishops from round the world later in February, Pope Francis had spoken in an address to the Curia just before Christmas in the strongest possible terms:
To those who abuse minors I would say this: convert and hand yourself over to human justice, and prepare for divine justice. Remember the words of Christ: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of scandals! For it is necessary that scandals come, but woe to the man by whom the scandal comes!”(Mt 18:6-7).
In his closing address at the end of the Summit, while he touched on abuse of children in many areas of society including domestic abuse, trafficking, online abuse and sexual tourism, his strongest words were for those who committed abuse in the church and for those who covered it up.
No explanations suffice for these abuses involving children…. We need to recognise with humility and courage that we stand face to face with the mystery of evil, which strikes most violently against the most vulnerable, for they are an image of Jesus…. The Church has now become increasingly aware of the need not only to curb the gravest cases of abuse by disciplinary measures and civil and canonical processes, but also to decisively confront the phenomenon both inside and outside the Church….. She feels called to combat this evil that strikes at the very heart of her mission, which is to preach the Gospel to the little ones and to protect them from ravenous wolves.
Pope Francis’ words were the strongest on this matter I think I have ever heard. Let us pray that they will set a tone for a future when our church will be free of the stain of this appalling crime.
Pope Francis – you may be 82, but we need you to keep going. As the Irish expression goes: Go maire tú an chéad! (May you live to 100!)
About the Author: Pat Hanratty
Pat Hanratty taught Science/Chemistry in Tallaght Community School from its inception in 1972 until he retired in 2010. He was the school’s first Transition Year Co-ordinator and for four years he had the role of home School Community Liaison Officer.