Brady: Celibacy rule will remain

AHEAD of his elevation to Cardinal, Archbishop Seán Brady has said he does not believe celibacy in the Catholic Church will be lifted and said he is opposed to abortion in any circumstances.

In a television interview yesterday, Archbishop Brady referred to the fall out from the X case when a 14-year-old rape victim was initially prevented by the High Court from travelling to Britain for an abortion but the ruling was later overruled in the Supreme Court.

“There are people fighting for legislation to have abortion in certain cases, I would be opposed to that,” he said. “The legislator has to have respect for the common good and I cannot see a situation in the common good that demands that we have abortion in any situation.

“The right to life is the most fundamental right. From the first moment of existence to the end that right has to be reasserted.”

He told TV3’s The Political Party that celibacy was a struggle and admitted the priesthood could be a lonely existence.

“But i appreciate that celibacy is also a gift. It allows us this freedom to be fatherly, caring and give time to many families instead of one family.

“I realise there is a shortage of priests in certain parts of the world but I am convinced in my own mind that celibacy is something the Latin church has reflected on and kept despite pressure to change.”

Despite the secularisation of society characterised by dropping numbers entering the priesthood, Archbishop Brady said he still thinks there is a lot of faith in Ireland.

“I meet it all over the place. I was down in Cork yesterday for example. A lot of people greeted me and were delighted to see me and congratulate me on being a Cardinal. There is a depth of faith in the Irish people, but they have become more affluent and busy in recent times and maybe it is hard to find time for faith.

It was while in Cork, celebrating the Mass of Remembrance for the deceased and living members of industrial schools, that the Archbishop addressed child abuse by the church.

“A reporter asked me the other day whether I thought the worst of the child abuse scandal for the church was over,” he said. “My answer is that, as a church, we can never become complacent about this matter. What we can do however, is to make every effort to give justice to those who have been hurt. What we can do is to do everything in our power to ensure that it does not happen again. As a church leader, I cannot adequately apologise to all those who have been hurt while they were entrusted to the church’s care. Nothing can ever make up for the terrible wrongs that have been done. But what I can assure you of is my absolute determination to try to change things for the better.”

On the possibility of a visit by the Pope to Ireland, he said: “I would say it is on the cards. He will come when the time and the circumstances are right.”