The new Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, the Very Rev Robert MacCarthy, said in Dublin on Saturday the standing of clergy in Ireland has never been so low. "Anyone who walks down any Irish street in clerical dress today soon knows the difference from 10 to 15 years ago. There has, to put it politely, been a lowering of esteem for all clergy, and it is often expressed very impolitely indeed," he said.
During an installation service in St Patrick's, he said "this quite sudden collapse of esteem" was caused by "the series of sexual scandals which has beset the majority church in this land". But, he continued, "we are all in this together: its [Roman Catholic Church] troubles are our troubles and we fish the same waters".
He warned: "Let us not ignore the plank in our own respectable Church of Ireland eye," quoting a description of the current state of that church as "well-nigh swamped in ignorance, shallow popularising; and theological, architectural and liturgical yahooism". It had been written by "a distinguished former canon of this cathedral" who "writes under the name Cromlyn", he said, alluding to Canon John Barry in the Church of Ireland Gazette.
Dean MacCarthy observed that "the institutional church is in deep trouble in the Ireland of today". Church ministry was already "on the margins . . . even if we don't choose to realise it".
He was installed on Saturday, following his election to the post last May. The service was attended by the President, Mrs McAleese, with Capt Michael Kiernan representing the Taoiseach.
Also in attendance were the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Walton Empey; the Bishop of Meath and Kildare, the Most Rev Richard Clarke; the Bishop of Tuam, the Right Rev Richard Henderson; and Dr Donald Caird, retired archbishop of Dublin.
Father Dermot Lane represented Archbishop Desmond Connell. The Rev Terence McCaughey of the Presbyterian Church was also there. Readings were by Senator David Norris and the Ceann Comhairle, Mr Seamus Pattison.
St Patrick's was situated in one of the most deprived areas of Dublin, Dean MacCarthy noted, and "the Celtic tiger is not often to be seen prowling the streets of the Liberties". His "great 18th-century predecessor, Jonathan Swift" had shown what could be done locally by setting up St Patrick's mental hospital.
Dean MacCarthy recalled that one of the first greetings he had received was from Trust, the body which helps homeless people and "operates almost in the shadow of this cathedral". The homeless desperately needed not just a fairer slice of the cake, but also the friendship and support of those who were not homeless.
It was his intention as dean "to build close links between this great church, with its not inconsiderable resources, and all those in this inner-city area who are working so hard to bring relief and encouragement to those who we as a society have done so much to marginalise".
