Letters to the Editor. Irish News. Belfast.
Fr. Patrick McCafferty. Corpus Christi Church.Belfast BT12.

The recent reported attitudes and comments of certain prominent DUP politicians about the Pope are not surprising. The ideology of anti-Catholicism underpins both the politics and religiosity of probably most DUP public representatives and supporters.

Indeed, the same abuse of Sacred Scripture which gives rise to the lie about the Pope being the ‘anti-Christ’ is also behind much of the DUP’s Brexitism.

It is unpleasant but, nevertheless, ultimately beneficial for our society to name the demon of anti-Catholicism that still inhabits many minds and hearts.

We can say, of this manifestation of religious hatred of Catholics and contempt for their faith, the name of this demon is Legion for they are many (Mark 5:9). It is multi-layered and multifaceted. There is still a great battle to be fought against the mentalities which cherish and perpetuate such falsehoods and slanders about their fellow Christians.

The perverse and twisted exegesis, of some texts of Scripture, in particular, the Book of Revelation, is used by anti-Catholic ideologues to bolster their jaundiced world view and justify their prejudices and contempt.

Certain anti-Catholic extremists in our society have the audacity to speak to their Catholic fellow Christians about ‘the Gospel’. In their self-righteous and arrogant delusion, they imagine themselves as ‘bringing the Gospel to Roman Catholics’. Except it is not the Gospel that they bring.

What they preach is a false gospel infected with hate and contaminated by their poisonous view against Catholics and all that we hold dear. We should not hesitate to identify this ideology as a societal evil that has caused immense suffering to the Catholic community in Ireland for centuries.

The insidious spirit of hatred that gives rise to such untruths being spewed on the corridors of Stormont – also the fulminating ignorance heard from certain pulpits and platforms – must be steadfastly opposed and refuted at every turn.

In any case, the Lord will not allow such evil to prevail. He does not allow it to flourish. The vast majority of all Christians, of all traditions, reject these false and evil pronouncements.

We should pray for those mindsets still held captive by ideologies that originate in the bitter contentions of the 16th century for their conversion and deliverance from notions imbued with such hatred.

The self-righteous and, at best, patronizing attitudes displayed towards Catholics, among many others, by the DUP, is evidence of a pathological self-deception.

Indeed, Irish News commentator, John Manley, hit the nail right on the head when he said, “…. on an almost weekly basis fresh evidence emerges of a party that has mendacity, contempt, and self-preservation at its core” (October 25).

As our Savior said: “ye shall know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15).