The Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Willie Walsh, does not apparently enjoy the characterisation of him in the media and beyond as something of a rebel and as a dissenting voice in the Irish Hierarchy. He believes that any such characterisation is oppressive and confining. With disarming modesty, Dr Walsh protests that he is "not an intellectual or theologian capable of originating new thinking".
That said, Dr Walsh has shown a refreshing readiness to admit past errors and to challenge traditional positions. He has apologised for the hurt caused by private, religious run schools which siphoned off the brightest students through entrance exams and he has supported a reappraisal of the removal of the ban on priestly celibacy. Most recently, he has described the church's Ne Temere ruling on mixed marriages as "contrary to the spirit of Christian generosity and love" and apologised for the pain caused to "our non Roman brethren".
This is an important and generous contribution on an issue which if no longer at the forefront of public debate has inflicted immense hurt and suffering on countless Irish couples and their families. In welcoming the apology, the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Rev Walton Empey, said that Dr Walsh had put his finger on what had been one of the most painful issues facing Church of Ireland communities. He recalled how Protestant, parents were "terrified of losing their grandchildren;" how the phenomenon of Protestant dances had emerged to protect the faith.
Archbishop Empey, himself a popular and down to earth figure, was, also gracious in his remarks about the Bishop of Killaloe whom he described as a "remarkable man and a very wonderful person". Indeed, there is something heartening and uplifting about this warm exchange between two senior clerics from two different faiths. There is a shared desire for healing and reconciliation and there is a strong belief in the need to build a spirit of genuine ecumenism.
Dr Walsh and Archbishop Empey represent a fresh departure from some of the remote, authoritarian prelates of both the Roman Catholic and Anglican traditions. They do not present themselves primarily as the custodians of sectional rules and practices too often in Ireland an impoverishing stance but emphasise instead the need for healing and forgiveness.
The great need for such voices on this island at this time could hardly be overstated. There is a pressing need to apologise for, some past mistakes and to move onward. Protestants in Northern Ireland need to be reassured that the unquestioned Catholic majoritarianism that was allowed to dominate public policy in the Republic has greatly receded. Catholics in this State need a clearer appreciation and understanding of the Protestant tradition in Northern Ireland. Church leaders like Dr Walsh and Archbishop Empey, by virtue of their personal qualities and moral leadership, have an important role to play in laying the groundwork for peace and reconciliation on this island.