Catholic extremists do ‘untold damage’ to church, says priest

[trotsky]

Public debate left to ‘obsessive’ religious who ‘psychologically bludgeon’ their opponents

Well goodness me, I didn't know there were any Catholics like that!

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/catholic-extremists-do-untold-damage-to-church-says-priest-1.2687394

Catholicism in Ireland is being abandoned to obsessive extremists and a religious media more anxious to protect its pockets than engage with realities of faith in the world, a leading priest has said.

“If bishops or priests or intelligent ‘lay’ Catholics are not prepared to reflectively engage in the public market-place then that space is left open to obsessive Catholic extremists who seek to psychologically bludgeon anyone who doesn’t agree with them – and do untold damage to the Catholic faith in Ireland – and to religious media who often seem more anxious to protect their pockets than to engage with the realities of faith in the world,” said Fr Brendan Hoban.

Co-founder of the Association of Catholic Priests, Fr Hoban was commenting on recent remarks by the Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin bemoaning the dearth of Catholic intellectuals in Ireland.

[scscholar]

1. Why does he refuse to tell?

by leaving it untold? Why hide it?

[mr blur]

2. Colour me shocked!

Good thing there are no Catholics like that on DU.

[truebrit71]

3. Indeed.

Calling everyone that disagrees a bigot and then using grammar incorrectly?

Nope. No-one like that around here..

[trotsky]

5. QED!

[trotsky]

4. If there were, think of the damage they'd be doing to their church!

Hmm... maybe not such a bad thing after all.

[rug]

6. Are you feeling bludgeoned?

[Iggo]

7. I'm more worried about damage done by the church than damage done to the church.

[trotsky]

8. Yes, but the people who damage the church...

do help to diminish its influence, so there's that.

[Iggo]

9. I just wish they didn't have to damage us to damage themselves, I guess.