SOCIAL and economic divisions in Ireland run as deep as any, between the two religious traditions' in the North, the Catholic bishops have said in their written submission to the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation.
The bishops will be questioned on their 12,000 word submission, which was released yesterday, at the Forum's meeting in Dublin Castle on Friday.
In their concluding section on the need for greater social justice, the bishops warn that social and economic divisions "may prove more deep rooted and difficult to overcome than political and denominational ones
They continue "Ending violence and securing political agreement will not, on their own, be enough to consolidate peace. There is a feeling of insecurity and exclusion among many in Ireland which is not the result of politically motivated violence.
"It springs from many sources, including sustained high unemployment, the loss of job security, poverty, the drug culture and the growth of crime (especially assaults against the person), greater isolation and uncertainty for the elderly, worries about health care.
"The greatest source of insecurity is perhaps the dismantling and erosion of economic, social and cultural structures in post industrial society", say the bishops, which has left many victims, particularly among the unskilled and unemployed.
Their submission begins by stressing that "the establishment of proper relationships between the two islands, between both parts of the island of Ireland and between the different traditions is one of the greatest challenges and most promising opportunities ever to have been offered to governments and politicians in both islands."
The bishops also acknowledge that this task is "a profoundly religious challenge and opportunity for all the churches in Ireland."
At the centre of their submission is a philosophical question "The fundamental question facing all of us in Ireland both now and in the immediate future is have we got a clear idea of who we are and what we stand for? If not, how can we hope to shape the future of Ireland, both North and South, in a way which reflects our heritage and the priorities which express our values If not, in what sense can we describe ourselves as free?"
Turning to the need for pluralism and tolerance, the bishops ask "How can the culture which is predominant in a given society accept and integrate new elements without losing its own identity and without creating conflicts?"
The answer, they suggest, can be found in "a thorough education with regard to the respect due to the conscience of others", for example through greater knowledge of other cultures and religions.
"Anyone who genuinely seeks the truth must respect and value other people's search for truth.", Pluralism,"far from suggesting that any opinion is as true as any other", is founded on the common belief that there is an objective truth to be found.
After underlining the Catholic Church's belief that fundamental human rights "exist before their formulation in any law", the bishops support the concept of a Bill of Rights. This should "not confine itself to political rights but provide for social, economic and other rights as well".
However, they also stress that "building peace requires everyone to move beyond strict rights and be ready to forgive". Forgiveness cannot be demanded as a right or enforced by law", but `will be inspired only be religious and moral convictions
The bishops say that the church does not demand that the State should incorporate Catholic moral teaching, simply because it is Catholic moral teaching, into law. "What the church claims for itself is the right publicly to express its beliefs, and to be allowed to seek to show the value of its teaching for the organisation of society.
On questions of how civil society should protect human rights and particularly the fundamental right to life the church is no more, but equally no less, entitled than any other group in society to express itself and to indicate how it believes that the law and policies of the State can best serve the common good".
In a section on respecting minorities, the bishops define "true patriotism", stressing that "genuine love of one's own culture and tradition goes hand in hand with respect for other traditions.
"One obstacle to that respect in Ireland today is the growth of, what has been called the `culture, of contempt. This is the fruit of many factors the tendency uncritically to dismiss the past and admire what is contemporary the outcome of scandals and disillusionment in the religious, political and economic arenas the realisation that one's gown tradition has been used to justify horrific deeds a sense of inferiority which too easily assumes that, one's tradition has little to offer in today's world.
"The creative interaction between traditions which should give life and vibrancy to Ireland cannot occur unless people value their own culture and history," the bishops warn.
On prisoners, they are critical of deteriorating conditions for republican prisoners in Britain, and warn of "a growing disillusionment" with the peace process among prisoners and their families. They also warn that "all parties should resist linking prisoner release to other issues
The bishops' delegation at the Forum will also include the auxiliary Bishop of Dublin, Dr Donal Murray the secretary of the bishops Commission for Justice and Peace, Mr Jerome Connolly the co ordinator of the Irish Commission for Prisoners Overseas, Ms Nuala Kelly Mrs Maura Kiely, the founder of the Cross Group, which supports bereaved families in Northern Ireland Ms Mary Lyons, who heads a training centre for unemployed people in west Belfast Father Martin O'Callaghan, principal of St Mary's teacher training college in Belfast Mr Seamus O'Hara, former chairman of the Northern Ireland Standing Commission on Human Rights and Sister Eileen Randles, secretary general of the Catholic Primary School Managers' Association.