Diocesan News
Call For Dialogue And Respect At Mass Following Paris Attack
Church leaders in St Mary’s Pro–Cathedral, Dublin, during the Mass in Solidarity with the People of France. (Photo: John McElroy)
A special Mass in solidarity with the people of France was celebrated in the Pro–Cathedral in Dublin by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin on Tuesday 13 January. It was attended by Archbishop Michael Jackson who gave a reflection.
The Mass was organised in collaboration with the Ambassador of France H.E. Jean–Pierre Thébault. Among those present were the Lord Mayor, Mr Christy Burke, President Michael D Higgins and Mrs Higgins, An Taoiseach was represented by his Aide de Comp – Comdt Kieran Carey, Mr Charlie Flanagan, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Rear Admiral Mark Mellett, Defence Forces, Assistant Commissioner John Twomey, Gardaí.
Leaders of other churches included Fr Raul Simion (Romanian Orthodox), Rachel Bewley Bateman (Society of Friends), Major Gillian Dicker and Stuart Dicker (Salvation Army), Mrs Frances Martin (Presbyterian Church), Dr Mudafar Al–Tawash (Representing the Islamic Foundation of Ireland), The Reverend John Parkin (Methodist), Mr Leonard Abrahamson (President of Irish Jewish Community) and Imam Dr Ali Al Saleh (Ahlul Bayt Islamic Centre).
Among the many members of Diplomatic Corps were former President, Dr Mary McAleese, French Ambassador, H.E. Jean–Pierre Thébault and the Irish Ambassador to France H.E. Geraldine Byrne Nason.
In his Homily, Archbishop Martin said it was necessary to build up a culture of dialogue and respect. ‘We must do it honestly and with the courage to tackle what is wrong in our own hearts, in our own cultures, in our own religious traditions. We must condemn violence wherever it takes place. We must condemn with equal strength every form of violence. We must condemn violence not just because it strikes us with shock and horror on one particular day. Every single act of violence has within it the seeds of spreading and destroying. Violence is not less serious or of lesser concern to us when it happens in places and contexts which are distant from us, as in the violence in the Middle East or the horrendous violence in Northern Nigeria. Where we allow violence to flourish anywhere, we are breaking down those factors which curb the capacity for destruction which is always lurks deep in human hearts,’ he stated.
In his reflection, Archbishop Jackson said people were washed over by grief and hounded by sadness at the devastation and destruction of human life in Paris last week. He stated that the time for engagement and dialogue would have to come. ‘We voice our deepest sorrow to the people of Paris and of France today, those who are in their own land and those for whom Ireland has become their land and those who live right across the world and make those places their land,” he said. “As fellow–human beings of religion and of no religion our cry is for solidarity, for security and for society and we cry for one another from the deep well of sorrow, sadness and sympathy.’
Diocesan Communications Officer, Dublin & Glendalough
087 2356472
Contact Details
Lynn Glanville
[email protected]