July 9, 2012

Breda O’Brien’s recent article, ‘Teaching from within religion is an influential force for good’ reminds all concerned of the necessity for a frank debate on secularism in Ireland. While the article is primarily concerned with proposed reforms in education, it reflects an image of the wider debate on secularism in Irish society . O’Brien and the organisation she represents, The Iona Institute, are part of an influential lobby group that promotes the place of ‘religion in society’.[1] The main problem with O’Brien’s article is not that her argument for integrated religious education is weak, which it is; it is that she ignores the existence of the secularist debate. She presupposes an animosity to secular reform from the majority of Irish society that is not supported by any evidence. The focus of this piece was intended to a response to the many elements of O’Brien’s article that do not stand up to scrutiny. Instead what follows is an attempt to show that those who argue against secularisation, and the strengthening of the link between institutions and religion, do so from a minority position. To do otherwise would be to commit the same error as O’Brien and base an argument on an unjustified position. Given that this interest group advocate anti-secular policy at national level, it is important that weakness of their position should be highlighted.

Recent data made available from the 2011 census, in conjunction with research carried out on behalf of the Association of Catholic Priests on religious attitudes in Ireland show aspects of a new relationship between Irish people and Catholicism. According to census 2011, the catholic population in Ireland has increased by almost 5% from 2006, and now stands at 84%.[2] What this statistic does not show is the degree to which those who label themselves as catholic actually practice their religion. Data from the Association of Catholic Priests can give us an indicator of this. It shows that that weekly mass attendance is down to a national average of 35%.[3] Granted that mass attendance is a crude indicator of a nation’s religious devotion, the fact that 65% of catholics are not performing their most basic duty should make the majority’s devotion more than a little suspect. In addition to falling mass attendance, this data also showed that the authority of the church is no longer absolute; particularly on sexual matters.[4] The significance of this should not be underestimated. Mass attendance and adherence to the Vatican’s teachings are not optional. They are fundamental duties that catholics must fulfil. And if the majority of catholics in Ireland are failing in their duties then questions need to be asked about what type of catholics they are.

Unfortunately available data says nothing of demographics and religious devotion. What would be interesting to observe is the demographics of mass going catholics. From anecdotal evidence the observer can see heavy overrepresentation of older generations filling the pews on Sundays. The most telling example of this was witnessed in the recent Eucharistic Congress. While the big set piece drew enormous crowds, it seemed that overwhelming majority in attendance were born in the shadow of the last congress. This generation, for the most part, are catholic in the traditional devout sense, and are sustaining the church for the time being. However, the evidence suggests that the younger sections of Irish society, although they consider themselves catholic, do not keep their religious obligations, do not actively participate in the church, and are ambivalent to the church’s stance on moral and social issues. In spite of this, Irish people continue to identify themselves as catholic. This suggests that the term catholic carries more significance than simply theological matters.

The reality is that a significant amount of people who identify themselves as catholic do so due to cultural and historical factors rather than for theological reasons. It almost doesn’t need to be said that religion in Ireland plays a significant role in shaping our national and personal identities. From the larger historical perspective it has been used to distinguish the majority culture from the dominant minority, and was used as nation building tool in the decades following independence. From the cultural perspective the landmark events in most Irish childhoods; baptism, communion and conformation are all religious centred. Here religion and identity have become infused. Today the cultural and social significance of these events far outweighs any religious meaning, and non-practicing parents are unwilling to deny these events from their children, lest they fell excluded from a generic social custom. What we are left with is a clear distinction between practicing catholics and cultural catholics. The latter can be defined as a person who has received the sacraments but does not actively participate in the church, does not attend mass, does not live by the church’s social and moral teachings, but in spite of this will still christen their children in the church, look to be married by a priest and check the box next to catholic every five years.

The catholic hierarchy have spoken of this situation, whereby parents want their children to receive the sacraments but are not committed to the church. As recently as 2011 Archbishop Diarmuid Martian called on those who were ‘hanging on to the vestiges’ of catholicism to walk away from the church completely.[5] This was a gutsy call from the catholic hierarchy and highlights the frustration within the church with the relaxed way Irish people view their obligations to religion. While a mass exodus of lapsed catholics would make the administration of the church easier, it is unclear if people did in fact cut all ties with church; would they still define themselves as catholic? Given the fusion between religion and identity in this country it is likely that many would continue to do so. The maintenance of this ‘al a carte’ relationship with catholicism weakens the extent of our understanding of the true demographic nature of our society.

The debate around secularism must be aware of this distortion, and separate the number of practicing catholics from simply cultural catholics. If the percentage of catholics who attend mass regularly is taken as a percentage of the overall population it equates to roughly 30%. What can be taken from this is that the other 70% of people in this country can be placed on a spectrum that ranges from those who attend mass less frequently than one a week, to those who practice no religion.* Contained within this spectrum there is a majority of Irish society who care so little for the teachings of the catholic church that even the most religious amongst them chose not to give one hour of their week to the church. When faced with this reality how can we still regard Ireland as a catholic country, and where is the justification for those who would resist the long overdue measures to secularise the institutions in our society?