Is there much to celebrate in the first week of a new millennium in today's world of endless wars and immense want, with which television confronts our generation as none before?

In Europe, simple belief in God and His universe began to be undermined when Galileo looked through his telescope. Up to recent decades, we in Ireland were relatively insulated from such uncertainty about fundamental beliefs. But with wider education, expanded media, more travel and greater prosperity, this is no longer true.

Much more fundamentally, despite the fine example of very good clergymen, many people are put off religion by quarrelling and disunity among Christian leaders, some of whom continue to indulge in arcane and unseemly discord over Communion.

This among those who, according to scripture, should be recognised by the fact that they "love one another" is a scandal - in the literal sense, a "stumbling block" - to many. Their failure to welcome and accord equal status to women in the church is a further scandal.

Our loss of faith, or at least of our former focus on it, tends to deprive our world of meaning and our lives of purpose. Many now look inward: we rely on ourselves and expect others to do the same. The only real result is environmental damage, but most of us are oblivious to that. Just as we do not notice those around us who have barely enough to subsist on and, in other parts of the world, who perish - mostly children - for want of basic nourishment and simple medical care.

There are many manifestations of our increasing self-centredness, more benignly described as individualism: our rising use of both legal and illegal drugs; our soaring suicide rate, especially among young men; our envy of wealth and of those who flaunt it; our blindness to or acceptance of the plight of poor people; our high levels of crime compared to a few decades ago; our shocking apathy about politics, helped by the evidence of tribunals and inquiries of significant corruption at the highest levels of the system. Politicians of all parties, whether or not we realise it, have as urgent a task as churchmen to restore confidence among ordinary people.

There is no scarcity of such evidence of alienation of people from our society. There is a palpable emptiness in the midst of all our new-found wealth and a nervously felt need to fill the vacuum.

Perhaps the truth is we were never meant to live in isolation, but in close - sometimes uncomfortable - contact with each other. Perhaps this realisation could lead to a new (but strangely familiar) concept: how can I be at one with myself when there is something I can do but which I am not doing for my neighbour who is in need?

Is there not a duty on people who are more fortunate to give a helping hand to those who are less well off? Duty aside, are we not making a big mistake in not appealing to the idealism, not just of young people, but that which is inherent in most people?

Each one of us can make an immediate, positive impact on our own world of family, friends, colleagues and neighbours by deciding now to take the time and thought to care for them. On a wider level, each one of us has a talent which we could usefully contribute to any of the many community and voluntary organisations in this city.

We are fortunate to have an exceptional public service, but I wonder does every official realise the wonderful opportunity her or his job provides to make a positive difference to the life of each disadvantaged person with whose case they deal?

I am not just thinking of obvious situations, involving social workers or community welfare officers, but of gardai, Post Office clerks, local authority and health board officials. We in Dublin Corporation try to foster such motivation, and many staff take pride in the way they deliver services, tailoring them to the individual needs of people.

Our political parties - which ultimately guide our destinies, for good or ill - genuinely welcome new members into their many branches in this city.

Nowhere is the fight for social justice more necessary than in the case of the most disadvantaged groups, which include asylum-seekers, Travellers, ex-prisoners and sadly women who are mainly left with the task of managing the effects of poverty.

Perhaps marking the millennium will help us realise what a relatively short time we individually have in the world and how important it is to make our mark by availing of the real opportunity we have to stop injustice to such groups now and to prevent it festering on to future generations.

It is important to realise that working for the good of others is not a thankless task. People who are poor or disadvantaged can teach us a great deal about life and about ourselves. There is immense satisfaction in achieving even small practical benefits to help improve the lives of others. And there is great comradeship in working alongside like-minded people in a good cause.

Now that we have reached the new millennium, perhaps we should look back at the feast just celebrated and the wonderful story of Christmas. That has been celebrated for the past 2,000 years precisely because it tells us that those who are poor in the spirit of the world can have lasting joy. That is my wish for the citizens of Dublin for the new millennium.