‘Overwhelming support for Murphy’

Eddie Cassidy

Fr Rory O'Sullivan said there was no suggestion in the bishop's homily at the Chrism Mass, this week, that any Catholic should be banned from receiving the sacraments.

"I knew it was a strong sermon and I knew there would be a certain reaction in some quarters," said Tralee-based Fr O'Sullivan, "but, throughout Kerry, there has been tremendous support for the bishop's stance ...

"The majority of people who commented or phoned into a local radio show were very supportive."

During his homily in St Mary's Cathedral in Killarney, Bishop Murphy said he celebration of the sacraments demanded faith, and "priests may not administer sacraments to children unless we are satisfied the faith was present in the parents or some other significant adults in the lives of the children who will surround them with an atmosphere of Christian faith".

He said people who do not share such faith would consider the sacraments as meaningless rituals and empty rites and shouldn't receive them.

Fr O'Sullivan, the diocesan communications director, said the sacraments are essential elements of christianity and an integral part of the faith.

He said the bishop had focused on people who had become negligent in their celebration of the sacraments especially the eucharist, confession and matrimony.

Fr O'Sullivan said Bishop Murphy was throwing down a challenge to people, who don't have faith in the church or the sacraments, to reexamine their beliefs.

"It's important to stress the bishop was putting forward the question, 'if it made any sense for people who don't profess a faith, or who say they are not people of faith, to receive the sacraments'."

Fr O'Sullivan said the church will always reach out to people but it was up to each person to decide whether they are people of the faith.

"It's not something he [the bishop] can be judge and jury over, neither can any priest in a parish setting."

He added: "There's always room for people in the church but if people make an adult-conscious decision it's not for them, then that's their decision but the church will always be there for them."

Bishop's Murphy's criticism of abuse of the sacraments followed earlier Lenten comments by the Bishop of Down and Connor on the public's cheap and vulgar attitudes to Mass.

Dr Patrick Walsh warned there should be nothing casual about the preparation of the actual celebration of the Eucharist: "This sense of dignity should be reflected in the quality of the vestments, the sacred vessels, the sanctuary and church furnishings. The celebration should not be demeaned by anything cheap, vulgar or tawdry; it should be characterised by good taste."