VIOLENCE is a continual threat to the harmony of Irish society and those working in communities affected by violence must be supported, the Archbishop of Dublin has urged.Dr Diarmuid Martin, who two years ago called for a summit on the growth in violent crime, warned that prosperity could not, on its own, bring the harmony that society requires.
At a special Mass in Dublin to mark the opening of the new law term, the Archbishop appealed to senior judges, including Chief Justice John Murray and the north's new Lord Chief Justice, Declan Morgan, and other lawyers to work to bring about a just, compassionate and generous society.
Urging the congregation of judges, lawyers and diplomats to work to strengthen the fabric of society and make it more caring, Archbishop Martin said self-indulgence can lead to corruption, total disregard for the rights of others, a breakdown of community and violence.
Violence is "a continual threat to the harmony of society" in Ireland today, he said.
"It is profoundly anti-democratic" and attempts to "limit the effectiveness of community through a climate of fear".
Violence
Archbishop Martin made his appeal just days after the Irish Commission for Justice and Social Affairs (ICJSA), part of the Irish Bishops' Conference, hosted a seminar on violence in Irish society, calling for a community-based response to the problem of violence.
Yesterday, the Archbishop urged support for all engaged in the building and support of community, including schools, sporting and voluntary bodies, community organisations and the gardai.
At a a Church of Ireland service, also to mark the opening of the new law term, the Right Reverend Trevor Williams, Bishop of Limerick and Kildare, called on all to work to ensure post-Celtic Tiger Ireland becomes compassionate.
He said today's Ireland is "sobering up with a painful hangover" after the "blind hedonistic rush of the Celtic Tiger".
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