Post-pandemic church will be, ‘significantly different’ – Diarmuid Martin

As per the Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin people who attended church services before Covid-19 are not likely to return to public worship.

Church will be a different entity after the pandemic. During his homily at St Mary’s Pro Cathedral in Dublin he opined that the religious culture of Ireland – and especially Dublin – is “at a crossroads”.

He indicated about the hostility towards church from some quarters and also added that the change in religious culture is caused by indifference, uncertainty and voluntary rejection.

The preference of civil weddings over religious marriage ceremonies and the fact that  ‘no religion’ is the second largest population group after Roman Catholics is the fruit of choice rather than by imposition , he said.

Archbishop Martin said the demographics of church attendance have already been impacted by the pandemic.

The people who attended the public worship or the summer period were few in numbers. Especially the young people. This point towards the possible gradual drifting away of people from the wider bonds with church life.

The post-pandemic church will be significantly different from the traditional one, he highlighted .

Archbishop Martin added that the church would need to bring its message beyond the doors of it buildings.

He said though public worship is suspended we have to remind ourselves that Christian life is not suspended.  The message of Jesus Christ is not limited within the buildings and no matter what we must bring that message to those who are open to it, he noted.