Three decades after the first dramatic revelations of the phenomenon of clerical abuse of children in Ireland in 1994, Irish people are equally divided in their attitudes towards Catholic priests and nuns. One third of the population regards them favourably; one third disfavourably. The remaining third is neutral in attitude.
This is the finding of a sample poll conducted by the Catholic Iona Institute recently, as reported by the news outlet Crux.
David Quinn, Director of the Iona Institute, attributes the swing toward negativity re clergy in recent decades to secularism as well as the clerical abuse issue.
“I think even without the scandals, issues such as the Church’s past influence on society, its attitude to women – as critics see it – and more generally its ‘old-fashioned views’ would still be cited,” Quinn told Crux – but he isn’t wholly pessimistic.
Younger Generation ‘Curious’
“There is an obvious hunger for spiritual insights and practices, with 18-24s (‘Gen Z’), for example, revealing a more open, more curious take on religion and spirituality than some older age groups.”
For the complete report in Crux click here.
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