The Catholic Church, the Pope, and Ireland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Catholic Church has existed for more than a thousand years. The Republic of Ireland has existed for less than a century: since 1937

 

How many times has a Pope visited the Republic of Ireland?

 

The answer is two times.

 

The first time

Pope John Paul II visited Ireland in 1979. While he was there, he held an open-air mass in Phoenix Park in the capital Dublin.

 

More than one million people attended the open-air mass held in Phoenix Park in 1979. This figure corresponds to almost one third of the Irish population at that time.

 

What was the purpose of his visit?

 

The official purpose of the visit was to strengthen the Catholic tradition in Ireland and to promote peace and reconciliation.

 

The second time

Pope Francis visited Ireland in 2018. While he was there, he held an open-air mass in Phoenix Park in Dublin.

 

The organisers of the open-air mass expected around 500,000 people to attend the open-air mass. But this expectation was far too high. 

 

Ca. 130,000 people attended the open-air mass in 2018. This figure corresponds to less than three percent of the Irish population at that time.

 

What was the purpose of his visit?

 

The official purpose of the visit was to participate in the World Meeting of Families and to address the sexual abuse scandal in Ireland.

 

A comparison

When these two events are compared, it is obvious that a huge change had happened in Ireland with regard to the authority, influence, and power of the Catholic Church.

 

In 1979, the Catholic Church had strong support among the Irish people. More than one million Irish citizens showed up to see and listen to the Pope

 

In 2018, the Catholic Church had lost many followers. The Catholic Church no longer enjoyed the same respect which it had enjoyed in 1979. Less than a quarter of a million Irish citizens showed up to see and listen to the Pope.

 

REFERENCES

 

# 1. Links to Wikipedia

 

Pope John Paul II visits Ireland - 1979

 

Pope Francis visits Ireland - 2018 

 

# 2. Books

 

Moral Monopoly: Rise and Fall of the Catholic Church in Modern Ireland

By Tom Inglis

(2019)

The Best Catholics in the World: The Irish, the Church and the End of a Special Relationship

By Derek Scally

(2021)

 

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Pope John Paul II

Bishop of Rome

Pope 1978-2005

Born in Poland in 1920

as Karol Josef Wojtyla 

Died in the Vatican City in 2005 

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Pope Francis

Bishop of Rome

Pope since 2013

Born in Argentina in 1936

as Jorge Mario Bergoglio

 

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