Sile Seoige has issued a lengthy statement about her religious beliefs, as Pope Francis’ visit to Ireland comes to an end.
The mother of one, who was born and raised in Co.Galway, has spoken about her decision to no longer be a Catholic, despite being brought up in a religious family.
Yesterday saw day two of the Pope’s visit to Ireland, where he visited Knock Shrine and said Mass to a crowd of over 130,000 people in the Phoenix Park.
There was also a huge turnout at the Stand For Truth protest, in which crowds marched silently to the site of the Magdalene Laundry in Dublin, in protest to the Pontiff’s visit.
Feeling so many emotions today.
Mainly it feels downright weird.
After all this country has endured at the hands of the so called holy…our government have given over 32 million to put on an extravaganza for a man at the top of the richest organisation in the world.
Mad Ted.— Síle Seoige (@SileSeoige) August 26, 2018
“Yesterday I posted a few tweets,” Sile said on Instagram. “Nothing new or that I haven’t said before. I have openly admitted that I do not identify as Catholic any longer and that I haven’t done for years. “I say this as someone who was reared in small village in the West of Ireland where the church was central to my life. “I was in the local/school choir and loved it. I visited Knock with my Mamó and Dadó. I had rosary beads and all the other bits and bobs…holy medals, scapular, the works. “I will also say that my first-hand experience of the church was a primarily positive one.
“As far as I know, our local priests and nuns were/are good people but that doesn’t mean that the organisation as a whole is. “I was so brainwashed as a kid that I actually thought that I wanted to be a nun!! And I am not being dramatic using the word brainwashing. “Our minds are so powerful and believe what we feed them. Getting us into the church at birth, the repetition of prayers etc will shape our beliefs.
Growing up… I went to mass regularly. I sang in the choir. I even thought I wanted to be a nun when I was kid!!! But I am not a Catholic & I haven’t been for many many years. The abuse, the cover ups, the corruption, the wealth…it makes me sick. Dúisigh suas.#Stand4Truth — Síle Seoige (@SileSeoige) August 26, 2018
“And no religion does ceremony like the Catholics. They nail it. Beautiful, elaborate buildings of stone = stunning acoustics. “Sure singing ‘The wheels on the bus’ in a church makes you feel closer to God!! And there is comfort in ritual which they do better than any other religion. Those who know me, know that I do not want a Catholic ceremony when I die. I did not baptise my son. We had a beautiful naming ceremony for him. Far more meaningful and sincere than the exorcism that is a baptism. Seriously, that’s what it is. It’s nuts.
“Despite how strongly I feel, it is not to say that I will never enter a church again. I sang at a funeral of a woman I knew a few weeks ago. She was younger than me, a Momma with a true love of life and she died of cancer. She and her friends wanted me to sing at the ceremony and it was an honour to be able to. I was there for her and I was able to park my own personal views on the church for the funeral. ”
I suppose it took me until I was a teenager before I started to question the teachings of the church. I think it started with the bible we were reading from in school. I was about 14 and I remember reading that a woman was ‘unclean’ during her period and I knew something was off. The language directed at girls/women in it was so negative, it made me angry and uncomfortable. I knew it didn’t sit right with me.
“So I read more and some more about the church and especially it’s treatment of women throughout history and what I found, confirmed that this was not my church. As I said, I have no doubt that there are good people within the church and who proudly call themselves Catholic. But if you are…how can you?
Of course I respect those who have faith. I have faith myself. Just not in the Catholic take on it. And I know that there are a lot of good Catholics in pain…but it is time to wake up. Abusers were protected in the Church not the children they abused. How was/is that right? — Síle Seoige (@SileSeoige) August 26, 2018
“How can you when you now know of all the pain and damage caused by the supposed messengers of the Lord.
And if you are a good man or woman within the church…why are you not standing up to your Pope demanding accountability!! Why are you staying silent?
“The recent Pennsylvania report states that over 1,000 children were abused by priests.
Children as young as 18 months old. 18 months.
“It is time to take your head out of the sand and wake up to truth of this church. Do your research. Educate yourself on what is really happening. Massive money equals massive control.
They have been abusing their position since the beginning and it is vile. Talk is cheap. And it’s easy to say sorry.
What is the Pope actually going to do about it?”
Sile’s comments were met with both support and opposition from her followers with some challenging her beliefs on the Pope’s visit.
