OUTSPOKEN cleric, Fr Iggy O'Donovan has expressed his 'grave reservations' about the way people are initiated into the Catholic Church, stating that 'meaningless commitments and promises' are made in the sacrament of confirmation.'Is it any wonder many of these kids will never be more than nominal Catholics insofar as interest in or practice of their faith is concerned,' he explained in Sunday's Augustinian church newsletter.
'For example, take the sacrament of confirmation. Here meaningless commitments and promises are made which in the great majority of cases are an absolute travesty and which virtually nobody takes seriously.'
And he feels the mishandling of the sex scandals in more recent years has impacted significantly on the Church and highlighted the 'desperate need for reform of a corrupt institution'.
'To use a sporting analogy, the hierarchy have 'lost the dressing room'. The flock is not following the shepherds.'
He feels the organisation 'Count Me Out' which was formed recently to facilitate those who wish to formally sever their connections with the Church, may actually be a good thing.
'Though I do not intend to go down the 'Count Me Out' road myself I am glad that such an organisation has sprung up...I fully respect the views of those who wish to leave the Church and I believe they should be facilitated in every way. I have grave reservations about how people are initiated into the Catholic Church.'
He feels the group may be doing the Church a favour in bringing certain matters to a head.
'While I detest much of the pomposity, formalism and humbug which characterises the institutional Church, I also believe that divine truth may be found even in the most unpromising environments.
' Yes, the institutional Church is failing. Christian loyalty however is not to an institution but to Gospel values. This is the last analysis why so many 'hang in there' in spite of enormous provocation,' he added.
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