Irish ‘living off fumes of the past’, Bishop warns

Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan warned that Irish society can no longer assume a Christian worldview and is instead living off the remnants of its past. Speaking at the opening Mass for Ave Maria University’s new semester-abroad program at Mount Melleray Abbey, the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore told Catholics they must take responsibility for sharing their faith with people today rather than retreating into nostalgia.

Cullinan said contemporary society has moved away from a Christian understanding of the human person, which leaves people feeling lost and confused. He urged the current generation of Catholics to deepen their personal relationship with Jesus and actively engage with those around them. He described the faithful as people who must share spiritual nourishment with others rather than remaining passive observers.

The bishop noted that the arrival of Ave Maria students at Mount Melleray Abbey provides an opportunity for young Catholics to witness to one another. He told the congregation that they were born into this specific time to serve the people living in it.