Bishop of Kilmore critical of the Irish binge drinking culture

The Bishop of Kilmore, Leo O'Reilly, has hit out at young people having the sad distinction of surpassing their peers in other countries when it comes to binge drinking and the Irish are also breaking survey records right across Europe and indeed the world when it comes alcohol consumption. He was speaking in the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Belturbet last Thursday evening, prior to handing out pioneer pins to people from the local centre who have abstained from alcohol for 25 years, 50 years and beyond. He told the congregation that their stance to be pioneers for life was very much at odds with the kind of world we live in today. "It is very much counter to the culture of our world. I can only think of one thing that is more counter to it and that is celibacy - abstaining from the gift of sexuality, which again is another of God's great gifts. I suppose why celibacy is such a puzzle to modern people is that we lived in such a sexualised culture. It is so saturated by sexual images and stories and so on that people find it difficult to conceive how anyone would want to give up such a thing, or could be capable of doing it." The same applies to alcohol and people are baffled by those who abstain from alcohol "because our culture is so set around alcohol - so much of our social life evolves around it. It seems we can't have any celebration or event without it". Bishop Leo O'Reilly pointed out that surveys continue to show that the Irish are breaking new records all the time when it comes to intemperance, surpassing our neighbours in Europe and even around the world. "Sadly, our young people have surpassed their peers as well when it comes to binge drinking, and that is a sad distinction for us to have." He told the pioneers who were about to receive their pins that they had gone counter to that culture, "not because you don't enjoy a night out or that you are against other people enjoying themselves. You have given up this good gift of God for something better. Your prayers and your sacrifice help others, who might be tempted and who might be struggling with temperance. It helps them to continue the struggle and fight the temptation". Small things in life can have an influence on others and the sacrifices of pioneers show others that they don't need the prop of alcohol in order to enjoy themselves and to enjoy life. "They can resist the temptation, as you do. Your sacrifice can show the value of self denial, in making us more free to do the things that are life enhancing - not to be enslaved by one addiction or another," said the bishop. Those who received the gold pins to denote 50 years as pioneers were Dympna Minogue, Andy McGoldrick, Mary Ann Lynch, Carmel Fitzpatrick and Monsignor Michael Cooke. Those who received silver pins for being pioneers for 25 years at least were Kevin Deevey, Peter Donnelly, Oliver Fitzpatrick, Breege Henry, Liz McDonald, Mary McGoldrick, Michael McMahon, Gregory O'Keeffe and John P. Reilly. Those who received the Fr. Cullen medals for being pioneers for more than 50 years included Canon P.J. Corrigan, Bridie Donohoe, Gene Donohoe, Eileen MacEnri, Rose McDonald, Eileen McKiernan, Gene O'Beirne, Oliver O'Reilly and Paddy O'Reilly.