Doolan calls on Archbishop to celebrate European religious diversity
Published: 18 January, 2007
Following Archbishop Diarmuid Martin's address to the National Forum on
Europe held today in Dublin Castle on the European Catholic Bishops View of
a Changing Europe Sinn Féin's Dublin Spokesperson on Europe Cllr. Daithí
Doolan has today called on the Catholic Church to act as bridge builders
between faiths throughout the 27 member states.
Speaking from Dublin Castle Cllr. Doolan said "I welcome today's address by
the Archbishop. I believe the Catholic Church has a pivotal role to play in
extending the hand of friendship and solidarity between the 27 EU member
states. Too much emphasis is being put on security and foreign policy by the
current EU power brokers. Much of the negative propaganda supporting such
policy making has been directed at the European Muslim community."
Cllr. Doolan continued "if we are to truly achieve a Europe of Equals there
must be no hierarchy of religions. I call on the Archbishop Martin and his
colleagues in the Catholic Church to formally request that no mention of
Christianity and God be included in any revisions to the EU Constitution or
indeed the Berlin Declaration that is to be made in March of this year by
the Parliament to mark the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. We should
choose instead to celebrate our religious diversity, rather than pit one
against the other."
Cllr. Doolan concluded, "mutual respect and understanding for all religions
must be the cornerstone of any intervention by the Catholic Church into
European affairs. With the 3 primary bodies of the European Union now being
led by the political centre right it would be disappointing to think that
the Catholic Church could not see beyond their own organisational
interests."
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