Two Archbishops and Trump

The two Archbishops of Armagh – the Church of Ireland’s John McDowell and the Catholic Church’s Eamon Martin – appear to be a bit pissed off with the Stormont government. Listen to this:

“Our pastoral work brings us into regular close contact with many in the voluntary and community sector who generously offer their gifts, day after day, to build hope and support social cohesion. They are the ‘glue of society’ and we share their concern that the draft programme for government does not appear to sufficiently recognise their essential contribution to health, education, peace and reconciliation, to the arts, sports and charitable activities without which the government’s key priorities will never come good or bear full fruit.”

Well – who could quarrel with that? The selfless people who give of their time to support those whom government and society have for some reason overlooked?

Yes, except that the whole “community and voluntary sector” are what lets governments off the hook. If  they know you’ll get out there and help these people, why should any government bother heaping cash on the underprivileged?

You may be sure that if the voluntary sector has been overlooked, it’s because the Stormont parties feel secure in believing that a voluntary net will catch and look after these people.

The other thing is a point made by, of all people, Donald Trump . He is focused on Making America Great Again (MAGA) or so he says. One way in which he’ll do this, he says, is avoiding foreign wars; Liz Cheney, daughter of the more famous Dick, is a “war hawk” Trump says.  “She is a radical war hawk. Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her, OK? Let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face.”

This is typical Trump :  crude, unbalanced, vicious.  But it does in its own obnoxious way highlight  the question of leadership.

And what has this to do with the Archbishops?  Well, Trump’s statement does raise the practising-what-you-preach  thing and suggests  a few questions for the Archbishops. Have  they followed Pope Francis’s example and moved into a modest apartment? Have they ditched their larger car and settled for something much more modest?  Whether on the street or in their cathedrals, do they dress simply and inexpensively?

My mother used to point out that the most convincing arguments were made by those who led by example. Are our two Archbishops giving the underprivileged a genuine lead?