Pope Benedict has apparently said he would come to Ireland “sooner rather than later” but would you care if he came at all?
Speaking to RTÉ Radio today, the Archbishop of Dublin Dr Diarmuid Martin said that Pope Benedict would visit Ireland “sooner rather than later” and was “actively considering” an invitation from the Irish Catholic Church to pop over for a visit.
The Pope has been invited to the 50th International Eucharistic Congress, which takes place in Dublin in June. However, it looks as though he won’t be coming because the rest of the church thinks it’s still too soon after the abuse scandals in Catholic-run institutions in Ireland.
“We have to see and understand ourselves where we want to go with the Catholic Church. I think a papal visit will only have a significance when many of these issues of our past are fully addressed,” said Dr Martin.
Asked whether he was expecting the Pope to visit for the Eucharistic Congress he said: “I have plan A and Plan B.”
But what do you think? Would a visit from the Pope help the nation’s relationship with the Catholic Church or would it just hinder the process of recovery?
