Dearbail McDonald, host of Ireland’s Last Nun, reflects on the causes and consequences of the seemingly terminal decline of religious vocations in Ireland.
Whether we like it or not, the Catholic Church was essential to the foundation of the Irish nation. Long before independence, nationalism and Catholicism had become synonymous, largely as a result of the long hardships thrown up by historical events such as Oliver Cromwell’s invasion, land dispossession, and the prohibition of education. did. In 1695, the introduction of the Na Paindrete (penal code), which increased the suppression of Catholicism and the Irish language, solidified Protestant England’s control over Catholic Ireland.
Catholic Emancipation was finally granted in 1829, but by then the complex communion between the Catholic Church and what would become the Irish Free State almost 100 years later was well underway. By the time the most important clergyman in Irish history, John Charles McQuaid (later Archbishop of Dublin), had firmly put his stamp on the text of the Irish Constitution of 1937, the influence of the Catholic Church on Irish society had reached a point where we It was deeply rooted. Still fighting today.
The Catholic Church was not only central to the foundation of the Irish nation; Priests and nuns were essential to the continued survival of the newly established, impoverished and independent Irish state, building and running schools, hospitals and social services at a time when this was not possible. did.
It’s hard to imagine now, after three decades of devastating revelations about clergy and institutional abuse, but it was once a matter of great pride and elite status to have a nun or priest in your family. was. And many families that are remembered had at least one priest or nun of her own, and some even had many more, real clerical franchises.
Monasteries were once found throughout Ireland’s towns and villages. In fact, the number of nuns and sisters relative to the population was once the largest in the world, and their scars and habits were part of everyday life in Ireland. At its peak in the 1960s, there were approximately 14,000 religious women in Ireland. Today, the number is less than 4,000, and the average age is 80 years old, which is on the rise.
terminal decline
Like the number of priests, their number remains in the 2,000 range with an average age of 70, but it appears to be in a terminal decline. Once the jewel in the crown of the global Catholic diaspora, this small country sent out missionary priests and nuns all over the world, and now we are home to the last of Ireland’s priests and nuns. Have you witnessed it?
What does it mean for them and for us? These are some of the questions actor and comedian Ardal O’Hanlon and I ask in his two films. the last priests of ireland and the last nuns of ireland (Monday 21:35, Tuesday 22:15, RTÉ ONE). Neither an elegy nor an attack, we explore how the Catholic clergy and religion have influenced every aspect of society in Ireland and the diaspora, and what we might do if religious vocations continued to decline. Consider what you could potentially lose.
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Like the majority of women of my generation in Ireland, I was educated in a convent. The Sisters of St. Clare, which traces its roots back to her 13th century, has been an undeniable part of the formation of my own life, both personally and professionally. As girls, we are taught to be independent, to be critical thinkers, to take our place in society, and to seek truth. These were, I hope, qualities I practiced as I cut my teeth in the field of journalism reporting on what came to be called “abuse scandals.”
Over the past three decades, a series of clerical and institutional scandals have led to public disillusionment and frequent negative media coverage of the remaining clergy and nuns. In the continuing aftermath of the scandal, pews are emptying, parishes are becoming crowded, and rare professions are disappearing. Faith remains important to many people, but the latest census shows that the proportion of the Irish population who identify as Catholic has increased from 79% in 2016 to 69% in 2022. decreased to
future flashpoints
Future flashpoints have been called for, including a new €800 million relief scheme for survivors of single-parent families, issues around school sponsorship and ownership of health facilities, as well as issues such as land ownership and asset transfers. . The past tells the future.
As Ardal asks, do we need someone, some kind of intermediary, to explore the mysteries of life and help us answer the questions that science cannot? Does that person have to be a celibate male priest? For me, as we try to find a way forward, I wonder if we can religiously defend the legacy of abuse as well as the accomplishments of women. Given our deep history, it’s incredible to think that they may be Ireland’s last priests and nuns.
What will we think of this era in another 100 years?
‘The Last Priest of Ireland’ will be broadcast on RTÉ One from 9.35pm on January 15th. ‘The Last Nun of Ireland’ will be broadcast on RTÉ One on January 16th at 10:15pm. Both are available for live streaming and catch-up on his RTÉ Player.
The Last Nuns in Ireland is an RTÉ scratch film production made with support from Coimisiún na Meán’s Sound & Vision Fund.
The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ.