Bishop Seamus Hegarty of Derry (right) marching for life at last Saturday's Pro-Life Rally in Dublin
Christopher McCamley has an interesting post today on the Pro-Life Rally which was held in Dublin on Saturday. To my joy I see that the Bishop of Derry, Dr Seamus Hegarty, was among those marching for life: congratulations to him for his witness, it will inspire many working for the cause of life in Ireland. There may have been other bishops there, if so congratulations to them also.
In Ireland we not used to seeing bishops walking the streets in protest marches, not since the Civil Rights movement when the then Fr Edward Daly, future Bishop of Derry, was marching with oppressed Catholics. Dr Daly was actually present at Bloody Sunday when British soldiers indiscriminately opened fire on innocent people killing thirteen of them. Perhaps the reason we have not seen bishops out protesting is simpy because they were really part of the establishment in Ireland. That is no longer the case and this is one of the things the Church in Ireland has now to realise and accept; when we do we will find the freedom to be prophetic, as Christ intended.
In the US Catholics are used to their bishops standing side by side with them not only in marches, but also outside abortion clinics leading peaceful prayer vigils. Indeed some American bishops have "criminal records" having been arrested for their peaceful activities. They often remind me of those heroic bishops, many who became martyrs, suffering with their people for Christ.
The prophetic witness of a bishop can much to increase the faith and trust of their flock. With things are they are in Ireland at the moment, a lot of PR work has to be done, and we need to see our bishops taking a more prophetic role. The advance of the abortion and gay marriage agendas will provide plenty of opportunity for bishops, priests and religious to stand side by side with their fellow Catholics in defence of life, marriage and now our right to religious freedom, which is being eroded bit by bit.
Given recent history, it may fall to the new generation of bishops due to take over within the next five to ten years to take up this prophetic mantle. I believe between twelve and sixteen bishops are due to retire in that time frame. But we must support our present bishops for the times they have proved prophetic, and today we must thank Bishop Hegarty for his stance for life. If there were other bishops there, please let me know and I will update this post: credit must be given where it is due. Let's hope more will follow in these footsteps.
Who knows, but perhaps in the next ten years many of us will have the privilege of sharing a cell at Store Street Garda station with a few bishops, all of us saying the Rosary and singing hymns having been arrested for peacefully praying outside an abortion clinic. I hope we never see abortion, but if it comes, may we all, bishops, priests, religious and laity, have the courage to take a stand.
American Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville praying the rosary on his knees in a peaceful prayer vigil outside an abortion clinic in Louisville.
Father, while I understand where you are coming from, why do you or anyone have to congratulate or thank a bishop for doing what he's supposed to be doing? It should be more the case of asking the other bishops of Ireland why they were not at the rally. But then you have problems with your bishops in Ireland as we do here in the States: prophetic is not in their vocab.
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