FORMER mayor of Portlaoise Joe McCormack has lashed out at the female bishop who called for the Pope’s resignation.
Last week, the Laois Nationalist carried an exclusive interview with Bridget Mary Meehan, a Laois-born bishop, who also asked parishioners to stop supporting and contributing money to the Catholic Church.
During the course of the interview, Bishop Meehan, a member of the Women’s Priest Movement, called on people to stop propping up the church and she accused the Vatican of acting “like a criminal family.”
In a strong rebuttal to the interview, Mr McCormack said he was “sick and tired of reading stuff like that”.
Dismissing Bishop Meehan’s contention that she is an ordained bishop, Mr Cormack said: “When Christ picked his apostles, he picked 12 men. There were hundreds and thousands of women around, but he picked 12 men. She was excommunicated from the Church. They can make her whatever they want, but she is not a Roman Catholic bishop. She is not a member of the Church and has no power to call on the Pope to resign. That power lies in the Church, which is made up with its congregation.
“There’s been a lot of talk and media coverage about the poor little children who were emotionally abused. But there was not one word about the good that priests did or are doing.
“The priests I knew of in my time were upstanding men and wanted nothing more than to do what was good for their people.
Mr McCormack, who has been a life-long staunch defender of family values, said: “I’d rubbish everything she said last week and call on all the parishioners to continue serving the Church, and the priests in the parishes to continue serving the people. We have rules that govern our lives and we have the Bible that governs Catholics.
“Her objective is to highlight her church. I wouldn’t pay any attention to what those people say. I think the time is right for the Catholic Church to put a stop to all these questions around it.”
Defending the Pope’s position, the former town councillor, quoting from the Gospel according to Mathew, said: “Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church.”
He continued: “I think the Pope is doing a good job. I feel the Catholic Church is as strong as it ever was, if not stronger. Our people are a Catholic people and should stop questioning the teachings of the church. If they question the church, they question the work of Jesus.”
He added: “What I have said should stop them (the women’s priest movement) criticising the Church and should help to shut them down.”