Blasphemy, Apology and Forgiveness

RTE released a blasphemous New Year’s Eve “comedy” sketch that they initially refused to take down, but have now apologised for. In this modern post-Christian Ireland, we remember the endurance of our Catholic ancestors in the face of violent bigotry to help us pray for those who persecute us.

By Clodagh Gallagher

RTE have acknowledged that their New Years’ Eve “comedy sketch” accusing God of raping Our Blessed Mother “did not comply” with standards set out by their own Editorial Standards Board. They have summarily removed the blasphemous clip from RTE Player. In a short statement, the national broadcaster has admitted that they found that the profane attempt at comedy was non-compliant with the provision in the RTÉ Journalism & Content Guidelines concerning sensitivity to people’s religious beliefs. They have apologised for the offensive content after receiving 5,000 complaints regarding the sketch. Dee Forbes, the General Director of RTE accepted the findings of RTE’s Editorial Standards Board, stating:

“On behalf of RTÉ, I fully apologise for that. We will now review the processes involved and engage constructively with the BAI.”

RTE has voluntarily turned itself into the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) after nationwide outrage at their portrayal of God as a rapist and their denial of Our Blessed Mother’s fiat. This is a marked reversal from their initial refusal to delete the sketch from RTE Player. However, they held on to vestiges of their original remorselessness, stating that satire “is an important part of the offering to our audience”.

Many Catholics across the nation have rejected this delayed apology, with some calling RTE out for insincerity. After the apology (but prior to the latent removal of the clip from RTE), Father Sean Mulligan from the Clogher Diocese rejected RTE’s “insincere apology”, calling it “a calculated insult to every person of faith and goodwill in this country, and to Christians throughout the world.”

Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan leading Eucharistic Adoration in his diocese, last November. Bishop has been outspoken against RTE’s blasphemy and subsequent apology. (Credit: Aid To The Church In Need.)

The priest was vocal during his homily at Holy Mass on the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus, the Sunday following the blasphemous sketch, calling it out as a “clear and direct attack on the Great Mystery of the Incarnation.” Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan was also deeply critical of  RTE’s “apology of sorts”, encouraging lay Catholics to lodge a formal complaint with the national broadcaster, stating: “The more complaints that they receive, the slower they will be in the future to gratuitously insult our Lady and our God - as well as making fun of the issue of rape.”

Aid To The Church In Need encourages our friends and benefactors to view this devastating decay of our culture as a clear invitation to press deeper into a life lived entirely for Christ. Drawing inspiration from the 245 million Christians around the world who suffer high levels of persecution for their faith in Jesus Christ, let us have both the moral fortitude to stand more boldly for our Catholic faith and also hearts of love and mercy, to pray for those who persecute us. Remembering the endurance of our ancestors who were martyred for their Catholic faith, may we be living witnesses to the love and mercy inherent to the Christian life.

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