Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Statement provokes near-silent response

SCORES of people left St Colman’s Cathedral following afternoon Mass but only a handful were willing to say anything about what went on inside.

They walked passed the St Vincent de Paul collection box and towards the gate. 

As they did so they lifted their hands, turned their heads and apologised politely when asked to volunteer a reaction.

One after another the members of the congregation declined to comment on Archbishop Dermot Clifford’s letter of apology which had been read out during the homily.

"They are doing the best," said one man, reflecting on the priests now in charge of the parish.

"It is terrible," said the woman who came after him.

"I don’t have anything to say about it," was the response of another.

Many were similarly succinct.

"We already knew what to expect," a young woman said about the letter. "We had read all about it during the week."

A smattering of tourists left as well, oblivious to the significance of this Sunday for the diocese of Cloyne.

There was little evidence of anger or hostility from most people.

However, one man welcomed the fact that Dr Clifford’s was an honest and fair account. He said he was glad to be able to hear it directly and not through the media.

Asked for his name he said: "Just call me a massgoer."

One woman, Catherine O’Driscoll, was more forthright in her views.

"I accept the apology but I do believe that Bishop Magee should have been there to read the letter instead of hiding and I am disgusted with the level of abuse that went on in the church and that they knew about it but sat back and tried to cover it up," she said.

During the Mass everybody, except for one child, sat quietly as the letter was read out by Fr John McCarthy and, it appeared, that most chose not to follow the words on the printout provided on a table near the porch.

When the basket was passed around on two occasions the amount of notes donated was a sign there was no appetite for a subtle protest.

Afterwards, with misty rain sheeting towards the door of St Colman’s, the desire of most people who left Mass was to walk away quickly rather than linger and digest the message to which they had just been party.