Madam, - It was so encouraging to read the interview with the new Coadjutor Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin in last Saturday's Irish Times. It was refreshing to hear him acknowledge that "the Church must avoid the authoritarianism of the past and be more humble" and that his "major hope would be to redirect resources to evangelisation and to build up new forms of Christian community".
This focus on evangelisation echoes Pope John Paul's call for a "new evangelisation" The Pope defined this as "not a matter of merely passing on a doctrine, but rather of a persona and profound meeting with the Saviour".
Many of our clergy in the Catholic Church are tired and morale is at a low ebb. Many of our young people have voted with their feet and regard church as irrelevant. Howevern out of brokenness can come a major renewal. This call for a new evangelisation was taken up by over 400 Catholic parishes which were involved with the recent Power to Change campaign. The Coadjutor Archbishop will find that there are a large number of lay people and clergy who will respond if he gives effective leadership.
At Mass last Sunday we prayed for him to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to have courage and boldness in redirecting resources to evangelisation - an urgent need is for the employment of youth pastors in parishes. May Archbishop Martin indeed be instrumental in bringing about this renewal. - Yours, etc.,
PADDY MONAGHAN,
Glenageary,
Co Dublin.