PILGRIMS RETURNING next week from World Youth Day in Madrid can bring
hope and help to the Catholic Church in Ireland during difficult times,
Cardinal Seán Brady has said.
The Catholic primate of all-Ireland
and archbishop of Armagh made the comments in a statement yesterday as
he departed for the Spanish capital to take part in the Catholic youth
festival.
The statement didn’t allude to the Cloyne report, which
he has yet to discuss publicly since he issued an apology the day it was
published more than five weeks ago.
He instead focused on the possible
benefits for the church at home of having hundreds of young Irish
pilgrims attend the celebrations in Madrid.
He spoke of how others
had left on similar journeys in the past, particularly those who had
travelled to Spain for education when it was denied to Catholics in
Ireland.
“They came back to give hope and help to their
compatriots in difficult times. Hopefully today’s young pilgrims will do
likewise,” he said.
“The experience of meeting millions of young
people at previous World Youth Days in Sydney, Paris and Rome has given
me immense hope as I face the challenges of a world where religion is so
marginalised and ridiculed and caricatured.”
He expressed hope that Madrid 2011 would do likewise and reinvigorate clergy and the lay Catholic community.
“I know it will and that is why I am looking forward to going,” he said.
“This
time I imagine Pope Benedict will once again challenge his listeners in
Madrid with a message that has pervaded all of his theology – the
message of joy.”
Cardinal Brady will arrive in time to celebrate
the highlight of the World Youth Day festival, a Sunday morning Mass
outdoors, celebrated by the Pope, which organisers have predicted will
attract some 1.5 million people.