THE Bishop of Kerry has spoken out in favour of the introduction of “a living wage” instead of the minimum wage of €9.55 per hour which, he maintains, is causing too much hardship for families.
Speaking at the annual Chrism Mass, at which the oils used in the sacraments throughout the year are blessed, Bishop Ray Browne, said the minimum wage is often accompanied by conditions of employment that are unfair and unjust.
“I support a move to what is referred to as a living wage which is about 20 per cent above the minimum wage. This is based on the estimated minimum needed by couple to support themselves and their family,” he said.
Bishop Browne said the difficulty being experienced by families is being made much worse by the ongoing housing crisis.
The Mass, in Killarney’s St Mary’s Cathedral, saw a total of 15 priests joining Bishop Browne and Bishop Emeritus, Dr Bill Murphy, and the chief celebrant was Monsignor Seán Hanafin of Ballybunion. Several members of the Kerry deaf community were in attendance and the Mass was relayed to them in sign language.
Bishop Browne said there are many other challenges facing families, including the challenge of the strength of faith in the home and living that faith in family life.
“This is a prime responsibility and concern for me as a bishop and for all of us as a diocese,” he said, adding that a key element in every parish community is people who seek to keep their faith strong and hand it on to the next generation.
Encouraging people to keep a prayer book with personal favourite prayers, Bishop Browne said the simple task of saying a little prayer before and after meals is witness to the belief that all is a gift from God.
“The Rosary is a convenient way of turning to God for 10 minutes, be it alone or as a family, and night prayer is an opportunity to recall the blessings of the day and to ask forgiveness and healing for failings,” he said.
Bishop Browne told the congregation: “The challenge of our time is to hand on the faith to the next generation. Family is the first and the most important source of faith in a young person’s life”.
The Icon of the Holy Family, specially commissioned for the World Meeting of Families in Dublin in August, will visit St Mary’s Cathedral on the afternoon of Friday, April 13 and Bishop Browne encouraged as many people as possible to attend.
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