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.