Martin calls for ‘dialogue and respect’ at Mass for French nationals

The need to build “a culture of dialogue and respect’’ was stressed by Archbishop of Dublin Dr Diarmuid Martin at a Mass in the Pro-Cathedral in solidarity with the French people.

“We must do it honestly and with the courage to tackle what is wrong in our own hearts, in our own cultures, in our own religious traditions,’’ he said. “We must condemn violence wherever it takes place.’’

Among those in attendance were President Michael D Higgins, Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan, former president Mary McAleese, Lord Mayor of Dublin Christy Burke, Assistant Garda Commissioner John Twomey, Rear Admiral Mark Mellet of the Defence Forces, Comdt Kieran Carey, representing the Taoiseach, and members of the diplomatic corps.

Leaders of other Christian churches and representatives of other faith traditions were also present.

Condemning violence

Dr Martin

said violence should be condemned, not just because it struck with shock and terror on one particular day.

"Every single act of violence has within it the seeds of spreading and destroying,'' he said. "Violence is not less serious, or of lesser concern to us, when it happens in places and contexts which are distant from us, as in the violence in the Middle East or the horrendous violence in northern Nigeria. ''

Dr Martin said that when violence was allowed to flourish anywhere, there was a breaking down of factors that curbed the capacity for destruction always lurking deep in the human hearts. “If we fix our hearts in doing what is right, we can still master the effects of evil today and in the future,’’ he said. “The challenge of belief in a God of life and love is to challenge the destructive passions of human kind wherever to raise their ugly head.’’

Century of death

Dr Martin quoted from an article by a Jewish rabbi in

Buenos Aires

,

Abraham Skorka

. Rabbi Skorka said he had reflected on how, in the 20th century, the confused passions of European societies came to shape dramatic conflicts, leaving behind a trail of death and destruction never seen before.

Rabbi Skorka, Dr Martin said, had stressed that every act of violence and barbarity represented the bankruptcy of the culture which inspired it.

The French ambassador to Ireland, Jean-Pierre Thébault, carried a candle representing the French people, while a member of the French community in Dublin had one representing the victims of last week’s attacks.

Separately senior Government sources said there was currently no specific jihadi threat in Ireland. Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald is to brief Cabinet on the issue today,after consultations with the Garda Commissioner.

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