Bishop of Limerick outlines hopes for a peaceful 2020

THE Bishop of Limerick Brendan Leahy says he hopes this year Ireland becomes a nation promoting “justice, equality and dignity”.

In his World Day of Peace Homily​ this week in Foynes, Mr Leahy said he feels there is a “deep-rooted DNA in all of us for peace”.

It comes in the wake of a difficult start to the year, with ​tensions between Iran, the USA and her allies, escalating.

Bishop Leahy drew up the Pope’s 2020 Message for Peace, saying issues start by an inability to accept that others are different to us.

“When the difference threatens us, we develop attitudes within us such as seeing ourselves as bigger than others, wanting to dominate them but really it’s our selfishness and pride that are at work,” he said.

“Conflicts or estrangement can result in our lives,” he continued, “and acts of violence result all too easily,” he said, “After all, acts of violence occur not just in our deeds but in our thoughts and our words. An unhealthy mentality of distrust and fear can arise.”

He said when peace breaks down, people are needed to help in “breaking the vicious circle of mistrust, fear and desire for dominance.”

“We need people prepared to go to the deep place within them where they discover the deep-down desire for peace that we all harbour, the deep-down desire for good relationships that bring peace and happiness,” the Bishop added.

“And then set out with a new conviction that a world of brotherly, sisterly relationships is possible, where diversity need not be a threat but can be an enrichment. The world has been created for peaceful working together. Our deepest DNA points in this direction. We have been created as bearers of hope, channels of peace,” he added.

“We need people prepared to listen to one another, people prepared to keep going, working at peace continually,” Bishop Leahy concluded.