Cork priest hits out at parents who choose nonbelievers as Godparents

"Barefaced lying in the face of God” should not be tolerated by the Catholic community according to a Cork priest.

Gurranabraher Parish Priest Fr Tomás Walsh has denounced parents who are selecting nonbelievers as Godparents to their children as well as couples who chose to get married in a church simply because it is a nice building.

The priest, who has served in the Gurranbraher community for the past three years, told The Echo that disrespect at these special catholic occasions such as Baptisms, funerals and marriages, was a “big problem.”

“It is becoming increasingly impossible to conduct Baptism ceremonies with children running wildly around the church - and adults, obviously only present for the celebrations afterwards, not caring about the disturbance they or their children are causing.

“This is happening in every church in the country but ‘political correctness’ forbids one from speaking out.” 

Fr Walsh also spoke out about Godparents who had “no faith at all” and who have “no intention in overseeing the child’s faith formation” making a promise in the church and “lying in the face of God.” 

“Even more outrageous is the presence of Godparents who believe nothing themselves and are permitted to make promises to God that they will oversee the faith formation of the God-child.” 

The Gurranabraher priest said that he also has an issue with couples who come to him, looking to be married in the church, who had little faith themselves.

Fr Walsh said that he tried to assess couples when they first come to him in order to decide if they were God-fearing people, but said that too often, people give the right answers.

“There are a number of alternatives nowadays for getting married. A church is not the only option and I always stress this to anyone thinking of getting married in a church. It is a charade if you do not have faith themselves.” 

Finally, Fr Walsh mentioned guests of funerals and weddings being disrespectful and disruptive to the ceremonies.

“People come because they are invited, they don’t even pretend to have faith, they are in and out of the ceremony, just waiting for it to end so they can party in the hotel after.”