Sam Boal Sam Boal

ARCHBISHOP OF DUBLIN Diarmuid Martin has said misogyny is present in the Catholic Church.

In an interview with Miriam O’Callaghan on RTÉ Radio One, the Archbishop said he would like to see a stronger female presence in the Church.

“I believe that is achievable… But it depends on the ability of the male priesthood to reach out,” he said.

However, he added that he did not believe he would see female priests working within the Church in his lifetime.

When asked about the former Irish President Mary McAleese’s recent controversial comments in which she described the Catholic Church as an “empire of misogyny” he said:

Misogynism is present, it is obviously present in the church. There is a danger in an all male presbyterate that misogynism can enter. You can have a men’s club and I think all of us have to examine our consciences to see where we are on this. How do we change it is the question. Mysonyism is a sign of human immaturity and that is a worry.

He added:

If there are priests that are misogynists, it means they are not mature in themselves and they’ve either never had healthy relations with women or they don’t understand that.

Martin said society needs to examine how to change this now.

“Misogyny is really about men feeling they are in charge, men feeling they have particular rights… where does it begin in their lives, does it begin in family?” he asked.

He said we all have to be careful of our use of language. He said certain things that might have been looked at in the past as funny are not and never were.

Abuse 

Referring to the abuse allegations against Father Malachy Finnegan, Archbishop Martin questioned how scandals like this are only coming out now.

How all these stories are only coming out now. I don’t know that people covered up, or didn’t talk, or were afraid to talk or didn’t want to talk, but as I say let the truth come out. If a church investigation, if people don’t have confidence in that, get external people to verify.

He said the Murphy Report (Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin) has been a huge benefit as it exposed things that happened and they had to take steps to make sure it won’t happen again.

Martin added that he gave over 74,000 documents to the commission. “I believed it was the right thing, I wasn’t always encouraged to do it,” he said, adding that some thought it best not to air the Church’s “dirty laundry” in public.

The archbishop said he disagreed and said “it is the only way” to bring about change.

Tuam babies 

During the interview, Archbishop Martin became upset as he recounted telling the Pope about the Tuam babies story.

He said the Pope asked him how he was during their meeting.

“There is a terrible story emerging about children’s bodies being found,” Martin said he told Pope Francis.

Martin said the issue caused the Pope to become “visibly upset”.

Speaking about the Pope’s visit to Ireland in August, he said he would like the Pope’s visit to be inclusive, but stressed that it was a short visit.

“I’m worried that some of the protocol issues will take more time than meet with the poor”, he said.

Asked who he would like the Pope to meet on his visit, the Archbishop mentioned struggling families, refugees, prisoners, the poor as well as victims of clerical abuse. He would also like the pontiff to learn something of Traveller.

Archbishop Martin described Pope Francis as “a complex figure, not all smiles. He’s determined, he knows when people are not being true to him, not being loyal to him. He’s nobody’s fool. When he wants to do something, he’ll do it.”

“He’s a free man. He’s in nobody’s pocket,” he added.

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