Martin must get specific

ARCHBISHOP Diarmuid Martin gave yet another talk this week on the future of the Church in Ireland.

Once again he has called for renewal of that Church. The urgent need for this renewal is evident to anyone with a passing familiarity with the Church. But what is not so evident is what this renewal actually means in practice. There are those of a more traditionalist perspective who feel that renewal will only come from a return to a strong Catholic identity. There are others with a more radical tendency who believe that renewal will only come by more fully embracing the spirit of the secular world.

Archbishop Martin must start getting very specific and very practical about what he means by renewal and allow people to engage with his vision. Unless he starts getting specific, we will have to conclude that he is simply another one of those soundbyte merchants who he himself so strongly criticises.