Ireland's greatest challenge and opportunity in an era of economic success lay in how its people spent their wealth, the President, Mrs McAleese, has said. Addressing a multi-denominational prayer meeting in Dun Laoghaire, she said Christians had a particular responsibility "to challenge complacency and selfishness". To do this, they had to overcome a fear of "being laughed at" and regain confidence in their message.
"As society becomes more secularised, more cynical about religious faith and more critical of the teachings and actions of the church, there can be a temptation to adopt a softly-softly, bury-your-head-in-the-sand approach. "Instead, these chastening times should be seen as an opportunity to look once again, with a more humble spirit, at the core message of our faith: to love one another, unconditionally, as each of us is loved by God."
Irish society, she said, was full of "hermetically sealed circles . . . little groups of friends and acquaintances chatting comfortably" and seemingly accessible only to those already known. No such circle was more impermeable "than that which divides those who share the benefits of Ireland's prosperity from those who watch helplessly and empty-handed from the sidelines".
The President asked: "Will we allow the barriers which separate the chosen and the marginalised to become ever more impermeable? Or will we seize this chance to widen the circle of opportunity, to realise the full potential of this generation, as no previous generation was able to do?"
What was needed, she said, was to stretch out a hand of friendship "to those beyond our own immediate group . . . to those who are different, who may reject our friendship or be suspicious of our embrace, who have been hurt by past rejection, racism, discrimination, or abuse, and hardened by those experiences.
"We are called to love even, and especially, those who are hardest to love."
Yesterday's prayer breakfast was the third organised by a committee of Dun Laoghaire politicians, business people and community leaders. Chaired by the Minister of State for Health and Children, Ms Mary Hanafin, it was attended by politicians from both sides of the Border, including Senator Helen Keogh, Mr Sean Barrett TD, Ms Monica Barnes TD, Cllr Niamh Bhreathnach, and Mr Frazer McCammond from Lisburn Borough Council.
