As a culture, Ireland is doing reasonably well in integrating foreign nationals into our society, according to the Catholic chaplain for foreign nationals.Fr Gerry Kane from Ballyroan parish, Dublin, took up the chaplaincy position two years ago.
He said that while some areas, particularly in large population centres like Dublin, will become “ethnically marked” this is to be expected, and such areas should never be called ‘ghettos’. He himself deplores the use of that word, which he said raises fears and gives rise to racism. “Language is significant,” he told ciNews.
“The Irish took over the Bronx in New York, and Kilburn in London. It was not a problem, it is just instinct. People want to be with their own.”
However he warned that Ireland’s economic down turn may cause problems. “Many foreign nationals, like Poles, do menial work. If there is an economic downturn, the Irish are going to want the menial jobs back, and they won’t get them. That will cause tension. There will be racial difficulties and problems, but that is normal. But it is not institutionalised in the Church or the state.”
Fr Kane says that the Church is working at two levels with foreign nationals. One is through setting up national chaplaincies, of which there are thirteen.
However, at the level of foreign nationals who have settled in Ireland to make it their home, he insists that integration happens through people getting to know each other in parishes at a one to one level. This can happen through, for example, drawing foreign nationals into Church ministries, like as Eucharistic Ministers, or Readers. This is happening naturally in a number of parishes. “It is happening well, at a level that is normal,” he said, adding “we can’t do things just to be seen to be doing things.”
Something that can be done to make life easier for foreign nationals, is to provide the scripture readings in their own languages.
The website www.virc.at provides all the readings in ten different languages.
Fr Kane was speaking in advance of the 3rd Annual Festival of Peoples which takes place this evening at the Pro Cathedral in Dublin.
Leading the celebration of Mass for the Solemnity of the Epiphany, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin will join members of Ireland's new communities in a colourful celebration of faith.
Representatives from the Polish, Filipino, Lithuanian, Nigerian, Romanian, Indian, Croatian, Czech and Palestinian communities will don native dress in a multi cultural liturgy which will incorporate a number of languages and music from different nations.
Last year, up to 1000 people from Dublin's new communities packed the Pro Cathedral for the event, which is expected to prove as popular this evening.
This unique event was initiated by Archbishop Martin in January 2005 as part of the Dublin Diocesan response to the changing nature of community in Ireland.
Also this evening, people are invited to bring any unwanted Christmas gifts to the crib at the Pro Cathedral for the end of the annual Gifts appeal, which has been extremely successful this year.
The gifts will be distributed by Crosscare, the social care agency of the Diocese, to clients in their homeless and sheltered accommodation services.
Meanwhile, Age Action, with shops in Dublin, Dun Laoghaire, Monaghan, Castelbar and Galway, have also appealed to people to bring unwanted Christmas gifts to their shops, so that they can sell them to raise money for elderly people and those in need.
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