Letters to the Editor: Pope Francis promoted peace in Palestine
'In the spirit of Pope Francis and with whatever voice we have, let us advocate for justice in Palestine â that troubled land sacred not only to Christians but also to Muslims and Jewish people alike.' File picture: Riccardo De Luca/AP
Before the conclave to elect a new pope begins, it is fitting to examine the legacy of Pope Francis â whose moving and relatively simple funeral was attended by some 250,000 people and watched by millions more. Francis was humble and unassuming. He did not mince his words, however, and his legacy is a rejection of war and an appeal for peace based on justice and human fraternity.
Francis was greatly troubled by what is happening in Palestine, his beloved Holy Land. Just before his death, he again called for a ceasefire, the release of the unfortunate hostages, and the compassionate aid for the besieged Palestinian people, having described the humanitarian situation there as âshamefulâ.Â
He made nightly phonecalls to Christians in Gaza, praying for an end to the oppression of the whole community.
Most notably, last November, Francis called out Israel for its disproportionate response to Hamasâ brutal attack of October 2023, and suggested to the international community that Israelâs military offensive should be classed as genocide.
(Perhaps this explains why the state of Israel was so tardy in offering condolences on his passing â three days after his death â and why senior Israeli representation was noticeable by its absence at his funeral.)
Since the powers that be seem unable or unwilling to rein in Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government, it is up to ordinary people to condemn the excessive Israeli force in Gaza and the West Bank, the total lack of respect for civilian lives, and the cruel blockage of essential aid into Palestine.
(Also, how are the unfortunate remaining hostages expected to survive with no food and constant bombardment of the territory? Such draconian Israeli actions are very much at odds with Netanyahuâs declared mission to bring them back home safely.)
It is wrong for Israel to be allowed to act with impunity, killing more than 52,000 Palestinians to avenge the 1,200 Israelis killed by Hamas, and it is disgraceful that the United States (supposedly the âgood guysâ) are allowingâ and indeed encouraging â the total destruction of Gaza, now being cleared of its smouldering rubble and leaving its Arab population homeless, broken, and destitute.
US president Donald Trump has at least one thing in common with the late pontiff: He too has called for peace in the Middle East. The difference is that Francis had the wisdom to know that peace flourishes where there is justice, not opportunistic real estate deals and ethnic cleansing land grabs.
In the spirit of Pope Francis and with whatever voice we have, let us advocate for justice in Palestine â that troubled land sacred not only to Christians but also to Muslims and Jewish people alike.
RTĂ Investigates showed how the Christian Brothers were able to act with impunity in putting assets beyond the reach of survivors of abuse suffered at the hands of its members. Religious orders have never been properly challenged by those in power in this country when it comes to making reparations for harm done over generations.
Coverage of the recent teachersâ conference showed how difficult it will be getting to the point where schools are owned by the State, which funds their costs.Â
As long as the vast majority of our primary and secondary education system remains in the hands of the Catholic Church, it will produce politicians and parents who do the bidding of the religion in which they have been indoctrinated, at our expense, since their formative years.
I was recently reminded of our propensity for inherently contradictory compliments which international colleagues, with whom I worked, just couldnât fathom, and which I gave up on explaining.Â
These include: âIsnât he terrible quietâ, âthatâs woeful nice of youâ, and referring to a new bride as âshe was fierce beautiful altogetherâ.
There is no doubt that the problem of individual objectors do hold up development. This should be addressed.
However, we are way behind our targets for offshore wind â and itâs for different reasons. Looking back over the last five to 10 years, we lacked key experience at a senior level within civil service to drive such projects. Both Britain and Dutch waters have numerous windfarms, with more than 50 turbines each, established for many years. We should have imported talent.
We lacked the legal frameworks needed to attract private market-driven involvement. (The same month we had Leo Varadkar declaring climate to be a ânational emergencyâ, the only company that was engaged in detailed discussions to ink a framework agreement terminated the process because they could see we didnât have the legal underpinnings for viable commercial contracts â AKA we didnât know what we were talking about.)
We have continually talked as if we would have an implemented windfarm (even a single turbine) by 2030, when experience in Britain and elsewhere shows that it takes between six and nine years to build and commission them â and that is after all contracts are agreed.
Finally, we have no ports ready to support such projects. If that much could be completed by 2030, we will be doing well.
Why are we so slow to recognise that all this has been successfully done by several of our neighbours, and be humble enough to bring in the talent and learn from them?
Our Luas systems cost way more than a similar project in Barcelona.
Our National Childrenâs Hospital is beyond comprehension.
The senior ranks of our public service needs replacing.
The design of some recent buildings in Cork raises questions about architectural standards.
The Moxy/Residence Inn displays no fewer than nine different colours on its front edifice from top to bottom. None of these (except for the vague ridge tile line) blend with the adjacent buildings or with itself.
The beautiful and distinctive arches of the much older lower part of the hotel were totally ignored in the new design, as evidenced by the emphasis on the rectangular or square-box design of the entire upper section.
Why werenât arches, instead of squares, included in the concrete decorative feature?
This â when viewed from Emmet Place especially â gives it a chunky, uninspiring, and unimaginative appearance, and is incongruent with both the street-side edifice and all the other beautiful red-brick buildings along Camden Quay terrace.
The Residence Inn looks quite attractive at night, however, due to the mish-mash pastiche of colours being hidden behind the lighting.
The colour scheme, at least, could still be rectified if given to the right people.
Thank you to Helen OâCallaghan for her article â âLow medical awareness of long covid in childrenâ (Irish Examiner, April 29). It was a poignant and stark reminder that covid is not just a respiratory infection. It is a multi-organ, systemic disease; a serious vascular, neurological, immune-system-damaging, eye-damaging, brain-damaging, randomly disabling (and disability-worsening) disease we let rip in schools and in healthcare as well.
How the covert denial and selective cognitive dissonance continues to damage our children?
Unforgivable cavalier leadership taking priority over health and wellbeing; sacrificing our children.
Each reinfection does cumulative, worsening damage and leads to long covid; typical onset is four weeks after infection. Long covid can last up to three years or longer.
There is no treatment, cure, or prevention. Anyone of any age or health status can get long covid.
Shame on us allowing our children to get multiple, repeat infections. Some will not make adulthood, while others will be severely compromised.
When will our leaders cop on? Why do our leaders in the DĂĄil get fresh Hepa-filtered air pumped into their place of work and our children denied the right to clean air and safety in schools?
Leadership is lacking and our children pay the price.
Thank you for writing about this and keeping this in the public domain.
