Showing posts with label Ireland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ireland. Show all posts

Sunday, September 20, 2020

Irish Catholics Oppose Heretical Priest Who Brings Muslim Into Church to Pray


Catholics ask Fr. Farragher why he allowed muslims chant a prayer in a Catholic Church, he responds by calling them "religious bigots" The Islamic 'Adhan' call to prayer states "there is no God but Allah", directly contradicting the core doctrines and beliefs of Catholics. The church in question is in Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo. The most diverse town in Ireland where only half of the population are Irish. The priest's name is Fr. Farragher. Contact Fr. Farragher here: http://ballyhaunisparish.ie/contact/ Contact his Archbishop: https://www.tuamarchdiocese.org/contact/

Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Irish Youth Leader Urged to Resign for Attending Conservative Conference in USA

[The Federalist] An Irish member of the European Parliament is calling on the youth wing leader of the Fine Gael Party to resign this week for attending a conservative conference for students in Washington, D.C.
MEP Maria Walsh, who was recently elected to the European Parliament in May, said she would be requesting for the Young Fine Gael (YFG) to call on the organization’s president, Killian Foley-Walsh, to resign following Foley-Walsh’s attendance at the National Conservative Student Conference last week put on by the Young America’s Foundation.
Walsh’s problem? The conference featured many prominent conservative speakers from the Republican Party who oppose abortion and same-sex marriage and included high-ranking officials in the Trump administration, such as Vice President Mike Pence.
AMDG

Monday, August 20, 2018

Irish Pop Star Seeks Confirmation of Her Excommunication



(Dublin) Irish singer Sinead O'Connor became known not only for her music and hairstyle, but also for her hostility to the Church. Now she seeks to be provocative again and wishes to be personally confirmed by Pope Francis, that she was expelled from the Church.

Pope Francis is known for surprises. Recently, he appeared without an invitation and without announcement at a wedding to personally bless the surprised bridal couple. Some media speculate, therefore, that in the course of his visit to Ireland, he might also fulfill the wish of singer Sinead O'Connor and confirm her "handwritten", her claim, her exclusion from the church. The musician wants to have a "proof" for her excommunication.

Sinead O'Connor, who has recently called herself Magda Davitt to "free herself from her parents' curse," was excommunicated by the Catholic Church in 2013. In 1992, she had torn a photo of Pope John Paul II in a television program in front of cameras, horrifying not only in Ireland, but believing Catholics worldwide.

She has repeatedly demanded confirmation from the Vatican for her excommunication to show her to her grandson. In 2015, the mother of four children from four different men first became a grandmother. She has learned from the media, O'Connor said, she is to be excommunicated, but has not received any confirmation to date.

O'Connor has repeatedly advocated the killing of unborn children and criticized the Church for not allowing women's priesthood. When the Magdalen Home scandal broke out in the 90s, the singer also spoke up. At the age of 16, she had to go to a boarding school for a few months. During this time she was "sexually abused by priests". If so, it might explain some of her hatred of the Church. To date, however, it is not clear what and how much of O'Connor's story is true.

The written confirmation of her excommunication, the singer said, should help her to work with rapper Kanye West.

Michael Cox



Michael Cox, from whom O'Connor was dubbed a "priestess" in 1999.

In 1999 Sinead O'Connor alias Magda Davitt was consecrated by a "bishop" Michael Cox to be a “Catholic priestess". Cox, a former police officer, after being excommunicated by the Catholic Church in 1978, founded the Irish Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church, of which he is Archbishop Patriarch. O'Connor received the name "Mother Bernadette Mary" at her "consecration".

In 2012, rumors about psychological problems and a suicide attempt by the singer surfaced in the media. There was talk of it in music circles earlier. In 2015, O'Connor, who ten years ago studied theology for a while, uses strong religious references in her songs, but attacks the Church.

In a few days Pope Francis will visit Ireland at the conclusion of the World Family Meeting.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Wikicommons / ordermaterdei (screenshot)
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMDG

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Irish Government Minister is a Witch

Edit: if they voted for Sinn Fein, they’ll vote for anything evil in Ireland.

A “WHITE” witch has saluted the Children’s Minister for her interest in the Wicca tradition. Katherine Zappone, an Independent TD, has studied witchcraft and its power to raise the “psychic energy” of participants and create a more “sustainable and peaceful planet”, the Irish Sun has learned.

Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone has a history with witchcraft.

Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone has a history with witchcraft And Patricia Weston, who has written about spells and magic, says the Independent politician is more understanding and compassionate due to her exploration of the pagan tradition.

 The Irish Sun tracked down a copy of her book The Hope of Wholeness: A Spirituality of Feminism, written by Zappone and first published in 1991.

https://www.thesun.ie/news/2669449/childrens-minister-katherine-zappone-praised-by-top-white-witch-for-her-interest-in-the-wicca-tradition-and-studying-witchcraft/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

AMDG

Monday, January 30, 2017

First "Gay Marriage" of a Catholic Priest -- "30 Years of Activism for 'Gay Rights'"

Bernard Lynch, Catholic Priest, "Married" his "Long-term boyfriend"
(Dublin) In Ireland the first Catholic priest entered an "aberrosexual marriage". Bernárd Lynch from the Irish County of Clare is a Catholic priest. Since 1986 he has been an avowed aberrosexual. He also became the first priest to have an "aberrosexual marriage".
Lynch, 67 years old, "married" his aberrosexual "life partner" Billy Desmond, with whom the priest has lived in a registered partnership since 2006 - even then as primary. As the newspaper Irish Daily Mail reported on 28 January, 120 guests took part at the civil "marriage." They congratulated the two with prolonged applause on their "aberrosexual marriage", when the clerk declared the two men "husband and husband".
In 2015 the Irish had approved the equality of "aberrosexual marriage" in a national plebiscite. Five months later, the decision was legally implemented.
During the festive celebration of Lynch and Desmond, a text was read to praise the "30-year commitment" of the Catholic priest for the "recognition of the rights of LGBTI persons". "It was a wonderful ceremony," reported the Irish Sun .
Lynch went to the seminary and maintained a long-term sexual relationship with another seminarist. This seminarist then left the seminary, married and established a family. Lnych, on the other hand, was ordained a priest in 1971. He belongs to a missionary order, but has been committed to homosexuality since the 80s in the USA. In 2010, he was one of the speakers at a rally against Pope Benedict XVI, when he visited England. He accuses the Church of hypocrisy. Deafness and celibacy were to blame for everything, for it was also responsible for pedophilia. In 2012, he told media that he knew that the Vatican was "going" against him, as his order clearly closed both eyes.
With the resignation of Benedict XVI. the Vatican "investigations" seem to have subsided.
Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Irish Sun (Screenshot)
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMDG

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Bono: "Jesus Was Either the Messiah or a ... Nutter."

Edit: media figures don't often have much to say that's worth hearing about anything, much less about religion, but if someone like this contradicts the standing "wisdom", that's remarkable, indeed it's rare.  Here's an interview Bono gave for RTE.  The interviewer can barely believe what he's hearing.

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Archaeologists Discover 1,000 Year Old Pilgrimage Route in Ireland

On the small island of Ireland Caher, a traditional pilgrimage is held every 15 August,  but there are more finds.

 Dublin (kath.net / CBA) on the Irish Atlantic island of Caher archeologists have discovered a 1000-year-old pilgrimage route. According to a report in the "Irish Times" (Tuesday), the curved line is marked on the southern and western edge of the island by a series of stone altars. This was identified by archival material, aerial photography and excavations, says archaeologist Michael Gibbons.

The small island (about 600 x 1200 meters) is located eight kilometers off the west coast of Ireland, is uninhabited and is called in Irish "City of Saints" (Cathair na Naomh). Each year numerous people traditionally flock on 15 August for the Feast of the Assumption on the sea route to Caher. The newly discovered route includes an additional tour on the island.

Caher has an early monastery with the ruins of a chapel and a hermitage from the seventh century and a sacred fountain in the north of the island. The island belongs, according to Gibbons, to the "most valuable" places of Ireland. It has remained largely "unaffected" by conservators.

(C) 2013 Catholic News Agency KNA GmbH. All rights reserved. Photo: (c) homepage.eircom.net / ~ kilgeever / caher.htm

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Irish Bishops Threaten State They Will Opt Out of Civil Marriages if Aberrosexual Marriage is Passed

Edit: There must be something wrong with this poll. Maybe it was restricted to a small geographical locale in Dublin? The Irish Bishops have issued a stern warning, though… according to the Examiner. Ireland currently recognizes civil marriages between aberrosexuals.

Of course, Catholic priests won’t solemnize these “unions” and have vowed to withdraw from solemnizing civil unions at all.

'Any change to the definition of marriage would create great difficulties and in the light of this if there were two totally different definitions of marriage the church could no longer carry out the civil element,’ say the Irish Bishops.


A new opinion poll shows that 66% of Irish voters support changing the law to allow for full same-sex marriage.

The Behaviour and Attitudes poll for today's Sunday Times shows that support for the change is strongest amongst women and younger voters, while more than half of voters over 55 were also in favour of gay marriage.

Just over a quarter of those surveyed believe the law should remain unchanged, with provision for civil partnership.

Meanwhile, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore is expected to re-affirm his support for same-sex marriage when he addresses the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Association (ILGA) conference in Dublin today.

It is the first time the conference has come to Ireland.

Mr Gilmore will deliver the closing address at the event, making it first time in its history that the conference will have been addressed by a country's deputy leader.

The conference is addressing how to advance equality in economically challenging times.

ILGA-Europe is the largest LGBTI non-governmental organisation membership network in Europe and represents over 350 organizations.

Back in November there were allegedly 53% supporting aberrosexual marriages, now it is apparently %66, although wikipedia insists that there is 73% support for it in Ireland. Now there is 66% apparently. Same-sex marriage removes biological identity... Another thing is that when sports stars endorse something, it’s probably not a very good idea. Of course, Jeremy Irons is more sensible on the issue.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Irish Government to Confiscate Catholic Schools

Ed: the title of the Socialist anti-Catholic BBC reads, "Irish bishops may be asked to hand over Catholic schools”. It’s not a question of if, but when. Some may recall how this sort of oppressive behavior is proceeded by a hate campaign against the Church, in order to justify the confiscation of the Church’s wealth, and the diminishment of Its position in society. This tactic was also undertaken by the Nazis in the 30s as Goebels used charges of sexual indecency and child molestation against the Catholic Clergy then to build public support for closing Catholic Schools. The Irish State is using the same playbook here, which is not to say that they are Nazis, per se. Just goes to show that you really can’t trust Republicans no matter how Catholic they pretend to be.

Of course, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin hasn’t been much help here. He’s basically helping the other side achieve their goals.

[BBC}The government would like schools to be ready for transfer in six months.

An Irish government report has recommended Catholic bishops release school buildings to allow for the creation of non-denominational schools.

The department of education report calls for the establishment of 23 new multi-denominational primary schools to meet parental demand.

It follows surveys of parents of more than 20,000 primary-age children.

The report recommends bishops be asked to reconfigure their schools to free up buildings.

In some cases this would mean the amalgamation of a girls school and a boys school to allow the return of one of the buildings to government control.

The Irish minister for education, Ruairi Quinn, says he would like to see buildings ready for transfer to the multi-denominational sector within six months.

Link to BBC...

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

No Consequences for Helmut Schüller in Vienna?

Vienna (kath.net) The Irish priest Tony Flannery has been called by the Congregation of Doctrine and the Faith to recant his statements on women's ordination, homosexuality and contraception. Kath.net has reported . The Redemptorist Flannery is also founder and chairman of the "Association of Catholic Priests" (ACP), a group of priests critical of Rome that works closely with the Rev. Helmut Schueller, founded by Austrian Pfarrer's Initiative. The CDF asked of him,  that he should distance himself from the ACP.

The similarities with the Pfarrer's Initiative can also applicable the consequences for the staff, priests, especially to its founder Helmut Schüller.

The demands of Pastor's Initiative also includes the ordination of women. On request of the Apostolic Nunciature, kath.net was told that just the Archdiocese of Vienna has jurisdiction over Helmut Schüller. The Archdiocese of Vienna itself announced last week that it had "no specific information" about the case of the founder of the ACP. "Therefore, we do not want to make any parallels to Pastor Helmut Schüller and speculate," it says in their written reply.

The confrontation of the CDF with Tony Flannery goes back longer and affects not only his commitment to the ACP. In an article for the Irish magazine "Reality" Flannery had called the ordained priesthood into question. He was not sure that "the priesthood as we presently know it in the Church today, goes back to Jesus," he cited as saying. He thinks it is likely that a certain privileged group within the community would have usurped the power and authority to themselves and the Last Supper would have been interpreted in a way that was consistent with their wishes. This point was criticized by the CDF in particular, Flannery said in an interview with The New York Times.

Link to kath.net...

Friday, August 24, 2012

Old Jesuit Church Taken Over by Traditionalist Order in Ireland


Edit: Sacred Heart in Limmerick was once a church run by the declining Jesuit order. Other orders, however, are growing and in a very symbolic way, the Institute of Christ the King is taking over the old church and restoring it to its proper use. Here we cite from Conleth's Catholic Heritage Association:

The prior of the Church of the Sacred Heart is a 38 year-old priest, Canon Wulfran Lebocq, choir-master of the Institute and permanently resident in the diocese since 2010. For the time being, the community in Limerick is composed of four members, whose average age is 32.

In Limerick, the Institute of Christ the King, supported by many local residents and a large group of friends in Ireland and abroad, intends to restore the Church of the Sacred Heart to its original purpose as a vibrant spiritual and cultural centre and a beautiful place of worship through a dynamic and open community life as a spiritual family. However, this will require a careful historical restoration before the Church may be opened once again to the greater public.
The Institute of Christ the King celebrates the classical Roman Liturgy, the Latin Mass, in its Extraordinary Form according to the liturgical books promulgated by Blessed Pope John XXIII in 1962. This liturgy, promoted by Blessed John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI in various documents, attracts today an ever greater number of people, especially young adults, students and families. The Institute is accustomed to see a lively family of faithful in its churches and wishes to bring the uplifting beauty of sacrality and genuine culture to all.

This beautiful church at the Crescent is still today a special architectural jewel, and many deplored its closing and long-term vacancy. The Institute of Christ the King, which has a special devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, truly desires to reopen this church for the benefit of all, in close collaboration with the local civil and ecclesiastical authorities. In this way, yet another sign of a brighter future will again come alive in Limerick.

Link to Conleth Catholic Heritage Association website...

 Here's a video and brief description complete with shots of the church:
This iconic building is situated at the Crescent, on O'Connell Street, Limerick, and was completed in 1868 and opened for public worship on January 27th 1869. The architect was William Corbett and the church is in the parish of St Joseph's. According to some reports, it was originally intended to be dedicated to St. Aloysius but when it was formally dedicated in 1869 it was called the 'Church of the Sacred Heart'. 
The façade of the church is Classical/Grecian in design and was renovated in 1900. There are no aisles in the church but the nave had two rows of pews. The nave was extended in 1919. The ceiling of the church is panelled with floriated ornaments in Stucco work. The high altar was designed by William Corbett and is made from 22 types of precious marble. On the floor around the high altar, there are the symbols of the four writers of the Gospels. The angel represents Matthew, the lion represents Mark while Luke and John are represented by the bull and eagle respectively. Some of the stained glass windows throughout the church show the letters 'IHS'. These letters are the first three letters of the Greek word for Jesus which is IHSOUS. In Latin the letters stand for Jesus hominum salvator which translates as 'Jesus, Saviour of men'. There are nine mosaics above the high altar. 
The central mosaic is of the Sacred Heart ascending in the presence of St Margaret Mary Alacoque and Blessed Claude la Colombiere. It is surrounded (from left to right) by depictions of St Francis Jerome, St Francis Borgia, St Francis Xavier, St Ignatius, St Stanislaus, St Aloysius, St John Berchmans and St Francis Regis. 
Sadly, the church (& residence) formally closed in 2006 and is currently for sale - again! http://www.daft.ie/searchcommercial.daft?id=81592

Friday, August 10, 2012

Irish Protestants Criticize Sinn Fein for Not Being Catholic Enough

Is Ian Paisley More Catholic than Sinn Fein?
Edit: Sinn Fein even silences its Pro-Life members.  It's well that Irish Protestants should point out a clear hypocrisy, since Sinn Fein relies, as do many leftist organizations, on its Catholic identity for financial and political support.

It's high time these parasites were taken to task.

Republicanism has always been an opponent of the Church, temporary alignments and ceasefires notwithstanding. 

From Ballymore Times:
THE Times has received a statement from the Independent Loyal Orange Institution. 
A spokesperson said: “The members of the Independent Loyal Orange Institution are surprised and puzzled by the recent statement in the press by Local MLA Daithi McKay with reference to the creationist exhibit at the Causeway Interpretative Centre at Bushmills. 
“Surely he who professes to be a democrat and whose party claims to be democratic cannot deny the ILOI, another democratic organisation with strong Christian beliefs, the right to lobby for what they and for that matter the RC church believe to be the truth

Link Ballymore Times...

H/t LOcculta.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Bishop Preaches Against Cohabitation


Edit: usually, we're so inundated with Bishops who omit to teach the hard sayings, that when someone actually does follow through, it's almost shocking.

Why it would be controversial that a Catholic Bishop would say something like this, especially in Ireland, we don't know, but we're glad he did.  Aren't you?

I suppose it shouldn't be shocking that an anti-clerical Irish newspaper finds a Bishop doing his job quaint, but here it is.

Next thing you know, the Bishop will say that the wages of sin is death.
[West Meath] The Bishop of Elphin Christopher Jones has come out strongly against cohabiting couples this week, saying that it brings children into an "unstable environment" where the couple are unwilling to commit themselves to marriage. 
The bishop made the controversial comments at a marriage jubilee celebration in Ss Peter and Paul's Church, Athlone, on Sunday afternoon attended by hundreds of people, including a large number of married couples from all over the diocese and their families. 
In his homily, Bishop Jones highlighted the importance of marriage and family for the health of the couple themselves, for their children and ultimately, for the citizens of society.
Link to original... 

Friday, July 22, 2011

Aussie Bishop Wards off the State's Manipulation of Abuse Hysteria and Defends Confession

Edit: this is simple, but it's courageous and edifying. The message is, "hands off the Church, you vulgarians."




Ballarat bishop says confession is sacred

BY TOM MCILROY

BALLARAT’S Catholic bishop has rejected calls to force priests to report admissions of child sexual abuse taken during confession, to police.

South Australian independent senator Nick Xenophon this week called for priests to be required to report all admissions of child abuse to police, breaching the confidence of a priest and his parishioner.

Bishop Peter Connors called on law makers to respect the sacrament of confession...

Link to original...

You may also read the letters being written in Ireland about this orchestrated dog and pony show, thanks to Father Levi, who doesn't approve of everything we're about here, but provided us with the link, thank you very much. Here's a sample:
Sir, – In the maelstrom of criticism directed at the Catholic Church and some of its hierarchy, we should not forget that it is the State that has ultimate responsibility for the protection of our children. It is right to criticise the shortcomings of the church and set to rights the appalling wrongs that have been perpetrated by some clerics against children. We must not forget, however, that the problem of child sexual and physical abuse is as big (in fact, bigger) in the lay community than it is in the clerical community.

I am no apologist for the shortcomings of the church, but the almost exclusive focus on those shortcomings fails to address the overall problem. I would now like to see an equally powerful light shone on the issue of state protection of children. I have very little doubt that another appalling vista of inadequate procedures, dereliction of duty, protection of self-interest and inadequate resources will be revealed.

No doubt our politicians feel a certain sense of moral gratification in wrapping the knuckles of the Vatican and basking in the political dividends of doing so. The overall problem will not be solved,however, until our politicians are prepared to examine the failures of the State in this area with a similar intensity. – Yours, etc,

FELIX McTIERNAN,

Fitzwilliam Place,

Dublin 2.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Guardian Gloats Over the End of Confessional Ireland

Editor: the Guardian would never enable elements hostile to Catholicism, would it? The Irish Republic continues to dismantled and put away the remnants of an Irish confessional state with the blessing of a people saturated with media hysteria.




[Guardian] There are two parallel revolutions taking place on either side of the Irish Sea that will radically alter the relationship between government and non-state institutions that exercise major temporal power.

In Britain the ongoing revelations of wrongdoing within the Murdoch empire and the public humiliation of a media baron and his son may result in re-alignment in the relationship between politicians and the press, with the former becoming less supplicant to the latter.

One of the most important by-products of the last few incredible weeks has been the end of fear. Specifically, fear of media tycoons who used to boast that some of their newspapers had "won" elections and had left the prime ministerial ambitions of party leaders in ruins. The humbling of Murdoch Senior and Junior this week marked the end of that fear.

Link to Guardian...

Catholic Cartoon blog, here.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Irish Republic Attacks the Church

Editor: in those Leonine Prayers we say after the Immemorial Low Mass, we pray for the "liberty and exultation of Holy Mother the Church". We should be praying extra hard for that as the Irish Republic continues to attack those rights.

Ireland attacks confessional secrecy after Catholic sex abuse scandal

Ireland’s prime minister has said Catholic clerics would be prosecuted if they failed to tell the authorities about crimes disclosed during confession, the latest blow to the prestige of the once-dominant Church. A report this week found that the Church concealed from the authorities the sexual abuse of children by priests as recently as 2009, and that clerics appeared to follow Church law rather than Irish guidelines to protect minors.

“The law of the land should not be stopped by a crozier or a collar,” Prime Minister Enda Kenny told journalists on Thursday, referring to the hooked staff held by Catholic bishops during religious services. Kenny said his government would submit legislation to parliament that could jail clerics for up to five years if they failed to report to authorities information about the abuse of children.

The law will override the confessional privilege in Church law that prevents clerics from sharing information, he said. A series of revelations of rape and beatings by members of religious orders and the priesthood in the past have shattered the dominant role of the Catholic Church in Ireland.

Read further...

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Irish Minister Wants to Strip Catholic Church of 50% of Its Schools

Editor: abuse-hoax = Catholic Church out of education... just like in Germany in the 30s when Catholics were bombarded with rare occasions of sex abuse by the National Socialist hate-media.

Catholic Church said to be ‘shocked’ by Education Minister’s plan

29/03/11


EDUCATION MINISTER RUAIRÍ Quinn’s decision to transfer more than 1,500 church schools to other patrons by next January has ‘shocked’ the Catholic Church.

The Irish Independent reports today (http://www.independent.ie/national-news/church-shocked-by-quinn-plan-for-schools-2598203.html) that church leaders have argued that his start date was too ambitious and that though it welcomed the forum, sources said the church had first raised the issue of an over supply of catholic schools and that they were finalising their own consultation on the issue.

The Catholic Schools Partnership is to publish a position paper next week and the results of its consultation process will be analysed by representatives from all dioceses at four regional assemblies in June of this year.

here...at journal.ie

Apparently, Archibshop Martin is very exited about handing over the Catholic Schools to the Godless materialists who run Ireland's government.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Priest Says Cardinal Will Report Irish Church Close to Collapse

Editor: That's the problem when you send a pro-Abortion politician to do the job of a Catholic Prelate.





 

Monday, 14 February 2011 15:11  
DUBLIN — Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley reportedly will tell Pope Benedict XVI that the Catholic Church in Ireland is "on the edge" of collapse due to the fallout from clerical abuse scandals.

Cardinal O'Malley is one of several senior prelates charged by Pope Benedict with carrying out an apostolic visitation of the Irish Catholic Church following a series of highly critical judicial reports that revealed abuse by priests and a widespread culture of cover-up for decades among church leaders.

Father Tony Flannery, a leading member of the Association of Catholic Priests, revealed at a conference of laypeople Feb. 12 in the Irish capital that "Cardinal O'Malley told the association the Irish Church had a decade, at most, to avoid falling over the edge and becoming like other European countries where religion is marginal to society."

The Compass here, for the  rest.

Friday, December 17, 2010

A Pogue and "The Priests" Sing Drummer Boy: The Video



A promotional video is available on the new Shane MacGowan  and "The Priests" video, here, where they'll be singing Little Drummer Boy.   Others have made the comparison between Bing Crosby and David Bowie, which was very popular and somewhat shocking and strange when it came about.  Since we're used to such juxtapositions and irony now, Shane MacGowan will surely surprise those who know of him as anarchic, dark and anti-clerical will be taken by surprise at the singer's reverential treatment of "The Priests".

This meeting of these entertainers in contrast to Bowie standing on equal footing with Bing, gives  the air of the prodigal returning home, as the riotous Pogues lead singer asks "the Priests" for a 'blessin' before they go.  It's much more touching than the Bowie-Crosby meeting lacking the forced generational tension. It certainly looks much darker in this new version and they will possibly be singing as Bowie correctly and properly did, "that men of good will can live in peace" and not  "that each child should be made to care" in its very hyper-educational vein.  Perhaps it's also a lot less preachy as the producers of the Bowie-Crosby show felt the need in that time to tip the hat to the "Peace" Movement in the late date of 1977, whose naive optimism had been shattered the year before when the Punk Rock movement came on the scene, which prepared the way for the Pogues early eighties debut.  It's almost as if Bowie and Crosby are seeking refuge with the remnants of the Ancien Régime  in a country estate as Anarchy came to the UK.  Incidentally, Bing Crosby had been long established and his popularity never really waned.  Bowie's career as a pop icon was just then coming to an end.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

German Bishop Performs Penance

Like Father Z, we've been suggesting penance for the Bishops for a long time too. We just belatedly stumble across his post in another forum. Even Cardinal Meisner has been urging greater Penance on the part of priests.  Remember when the Irish Bishops were supposed to make some sort of Lenten Penance for this issue of abuse.  It would be nice to see them do penance for their other crimes, like Archbishop Diarmuid Martin showboating, making ambiguous statements about homosexuals and pretending to be a problem solver?  Anyhow, we digress, thanks to Father Z for posting this.  We might also point out that the idea of Penance is sorely lacking amongst the laity as well.  Indeed, we didn't call Penance the "Sacrament of Reconciliation" back in the day, we called it "going to penance" for which you received penances from the Priest, however small, however great.


Haven't seen the transcript, but the reporter talks about the "structural sin".  There is no such thing.  Sins are always personal in nature.  Institutions may be capable of creating Hell on earth, but they don't go to Hell, people do.  Here's Bishop Bode performing penance:



Just as a small point, the commentators of the ancient and true Douay-Rheims version of the Bible, refer to the protestant mistranslation of metanoia as "repent".  As the English Fathers point out, it's supposed to be "do penance". 

It's a clever way of making us forget that we ought to make use of the priestly office and do penance this advent for our sins for which we deserve death?