On Sunday, December 22, 2024, during the 11 a.m. Mass at St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral in Dublin, a group of approximately 20 protesters disrupted the service to advocate for the Palestinian cause. The demonstrators entered the cathedral after Communion, carrying signs and allegedly voicing their support for Palestine.
Msgr. Lorcan O’Brien, who was presiding over the Mass, addressed the protesters, acknowledging the Irish people's support for Palestine but emphasizing the inappropriateness of their chosen time and place for the demonstration. He requested that they allow the congregation to conclude the Mass peacefully.
The incident has sparked significant backlash from the Catholic community and beyond.
Even Boomer activist Eamonn McCann can see the irony in protesting against people who not only agree with you, but have actually done more than you have about the issue which you are allegedly concerned with.
Critics argue that the protesters displayed a profound and perhaps deliberate ignorance of the Catholic Church's stance on the Gaza conflict. The Vatican has consistently condemned violence against non-combatants in Gaza, including the bombing of the Holy Family Church school in July, which resulted in at least 17 deaths. The Holy See has also rejected the "just war" argument used to legitimize the devastation and killing of civilians in response to attacks.
Incidentally, there are churches on the island flying flags of Israel, but the protestors seemed to have missed them and chosen to reinforce their own prejudices against Catholics instead.
In a bizarre twist, some of the protestors claimed that Cardinal Pizzaballa did NOT visit Gaza this past weekend. Whether this is ignorance or conspiracy theory, it betrays the cluelessness of the protestors.
The protestors have also been very open about the fact that Protestants were among those protesting.
The disruption of a sacred religious ceremony has raised concerns about the respect for religious practices and places of worship. Many question whether similar protests would be staged in other religious settings, such as synagogues or mosques, and whether such actions woptable. The incident has been perceived as part of a broader pattern of hostility toward Christianity in Europe, with critics noting a lack of media scrutiny compared to protests targeting other religious groups.
It has also raised fears among some that we are not far away from a repeat of scenes at Harryville in the 1990s.
This event has prompted a broader discussion about the appropriateness of using religious services as platforms for political protests and the need to respect the sanctity of places of worship, regardless of the cause being advocated.
While the protestors are comfortably at home Christmas Day, this is where the Catholic Church will be instead, helping the people of Gaza.
