Inward-looking church will not ‘change hearts’

Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has said “an inward-looking church will not change hearts and will not enthuse people”.

Speaking at a meeting about changes in the Dublin diocese, Archbishop Martin said one of the most striking facts was that 16 per cent of the diocese is under the age of nine.

He said this would pose significant challenges in the provision of education as well as in evangelisation programmes among a young populace.

“The overall religious culture in the diocese is continually changing and our pastoral responses must continually change,” he said. “However, pastoral planning should not get bogged down in the mechanics of consultation and just in structures. An inward- looking church will not change hearts and will not enthuse people.”

"We have to reach out, as Pope Francis says, to those who are living on the margins of our society and on the margins of church life. I am convinced that we can do it, and part of my conviction comes from witnessing in recent years how our parish pastoral councils have shown that they want to move forward in this way and they want to do what is best for the church."