Press Releases
Archbishop Neill's address to the mass for deceased members of An Garda Siochana
"No Safety in Ambivalence to Killing of Gardai"
Speaking at an Anniversary Mass for Deceased Members of An Garda Siochana taking place in the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Family, Aughrim Street, Dublin at 11am today, the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr John Neill will strongly condemn ?ambivalence? to the killing of members of An Garda Siochana warning that if there is any ?the community cannot experience peace and safety.? He will tell the assembled Gardai and their families present that ?too many members of An Garda Siochana have died since the founding of this force, but you may take some reassurance in the level of public disgust at such events.?
Continuing the Archbishop will say ?As we remember today, we salute the courage and dedication of those who have died protecting the citizens of this State and indeed maintaining the integrity of our democracy.?
Taking as his theme a reading from I Thessalonians (?Encourage one another and build up each other?), he will emphasise the importance of society affirming the Gardai adding ?One of the best characteristics of any force is that it should be a community whose members are affirmed, not uncritically of course, but affirmed, by being encouraged and built up together. We live in a world that is quick to denigrate and put people down ? and when that happens we will never get the best out of others.?
Closing, the Archbishop will say ?thank God for what has been achieved by An Garda Siochana down the years, thank God for the courage and dedication of thousands of men and women who have served in this force, thank God for the support that they have received from so many on so many occasions ? and let us pray for the Gardai today ? and not only may we encourage them, but may they be able to do so for one another as well.?
The full text of the address follows....
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Anniversary mass for deceased members of An Garda Siochana
Church of the Holy Family, Aughrim St. Dublin
10th November 2005
Homily: The Most Revd Dr John Neill, Archbishop of Dublin
I Thessalonians 5:11
?Encourage one another and build up each other?
It is an honour for me to be with you today and to share in this commemoration of deceased members of An Garda Siochana. I am grateful for this invitation and for the opportunity of saying what I hope may be words of encouragement. It is for that reason that I have chosen as my text some words from an early Christian letter which were in fact written in the context of thinking about those who have died in a very positive manner. Paul wrote to the Christians at Thessalonica: ?Encourage one another, and build up each other?.
Remembering those who have died may not at first seem to be about encouragement or ?building up?, but for a moment or two, let us go a bit deeper.
Those whom we remember today are a worthy group of men and women, and we remember them each perhaps for different reasons. I think when any police force remembers, it will remember especially those who have died in the course of duty. Too many members of An Garda Siochana have died since the founding of this force, but you may take some reassurance in the level of public disgust at such events. The community cannot experience peace and safety if there is any ambivalence concerning this. As we remember today, we salute the courage and dedication of those who have died protecting the citizens of this State and indeed maintaining the integrity of our democracy. Yes, you can indeed be encouraged as you remember these brave members of An Garda Siochana.
But the overwhelming number of those whom we remember have had the opportunity of offering long and dedicated service to this force. In remembering them, the force today is built up by the example of commitment and faithful service that has been the tradition of those who have gone before.
There are other very personal memories around today ? you are remembering former friends and colleagues, spouses and relatives. You can take courage that this force values their memory which is so special to you personally.
Our remembering today is however in the context of Christian Faith. I remind you that it was when the Apostle Paul was writing of the Christian hope that he included the call to encourage one another and build one another up. Remembering those who have died in Christ is an opportunity to affirm that though we no longer see them, God holds them in life eternal. We are challenged by the memory of those who have died in Christ, to live close to this same Jesus Christ today. It is not in the passing things of this world that we are linked with those who have gone before, but in the eternal love of God revealed to us in Jesus Christ our Lord. It is to this love and to this Christ that our worship today bears witness. It is this faith that allows us to sorrow, but not without hope, but rather thankful for God?s goodness in the past, and looking forward to a joyful resurrection in Jesus Christ in the future.
Remembering has something important for us here and now. To take seriously all that the force has inherited, to take seriously all that is best in the traditions of An Garda Siochana and to develop these features in a new Ireland is a challenge worth facing. This challenge is shared by all the institutions of Irish Society, whether it be the Churches, civil society, the professions or the defence forces.
We are all having to realise that learning is lifelong, that change is of the very essence of society, that new insights, new procedures, new safeguards have to be in place. There is no part of Irish society that has not had its casualties, and some in every section of society have let down the very people whom they are called to serve. Remembering those who have gone before and of whose service we are proud spurs us on to face change and to seek new and better ways today.
To remember past members of An Garda Siochana is a very positive way of affirming the force today, and of encouraging and building up those men and women who through the force offer such worthwhile service to us all. One of the best characteristics of any force is that it should be a community whose members are affirmed, not uncritically of course, but affirmed, by being encouraged and built up together. We live in a world that is quick to denigrate and put people down ? and when that happens we will never get the best out of others.
Thank God for what has been achieved by An Garda Siochana down the years, thank God for the courage and dedication of thousands of men and women who have served in this force, thank God for the support that they have received from so many on so many occasions ? and let us pray for the Gardai today ? and not only may we encourage them, but may they be able to do so for one another as well: ?Encourage one another and build up each other?
Further information from:
Mr Garrett Casey
Diocesan Communications Officer
Dublin and Glendalough
Tel: +353 1 6106447
Mob: + 353 87 2356472