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We are the greatest, yeah!

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:10:29 +0100

Was doing a post last night on my son's First Confession last week and the connection crashed, which was probably just as well, cos really who needs all that ranting and complaining. In summary, it's a farce, a joke and devoid of anything approaching sacramental theology.

If you've never been introduced to the horrors of religious education in Ireland, visit the website of the archdiocese of Dublin and check out the section on confession.

On a brighter note, I came home the other day and find the boys engaged in a heated debate on the issue of which was the best sacrament. Patrick was championing baptism on the basis that it was the first sacrament and you couldn't have any of the others until you were baptized. Michael favoured the Eucharist, on the basis that you were actually receiving the Body of Christ.

I was very proud.

Mc Camley's Second Law

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:53:22 +0100

Photoshopped - this never happens in nature

"When the door of a microwave oven, in which has been placed a cup, jug or bowl with a handle, is opened, the propability that the handle will be facing the back of the oven is 1."

Eurovision 2010 - amended version

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:14:38 +0100

One of my good friends has accused me of unnecessary cruelty, a charge I accept so I am amending the post - for those who missed it - well it was cruel but funny and you should read more often.

I was pleased to see Niamh Kavanagh on the Late Late Show on Friday and that she will be representing Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest. She is a tremendous singer, though the song is not as good as the one that won in 1993 and I doubt she'll win.

She'll also need to get better advice on dress as the one she was wearing was far from ideal. Someone described it as "unrelentingly hideous from the victoriana ruffly bussle, the big split in the front like the madam in the Cheyenne Social Club, the lacy sleeves, the terrible tights and culminating in a huge red shiny bit in the middle that ... managed to clash with her hair." Perhaps that's harsh, but I fear, true.

Drop down to the bottom and you can see the video from the Late Late Show (I've finally learned how to inbed videos).

Didn't Johnny Logan want to talk about himself a lot, though Dana put him in his place a few times? My sister and her friend Eithne hitched a ride on a tractor to see him sing in Cookstown, many moons ago. Looks like he certainly got on the scent of the Cookstown Sizzle.

Baciamano - A complete embarrassment

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 00:37:39 +0100

Prime Minister Berlusconi manages to overcome his embarrassment

Just when you thought bishops couldn't sink any lower in our estimation along comes the good bishop of Kerry in this story.

Bishop of Kerry says he was embarrassed to kiss Pope's ring

The Bishop of Kerry has claimed that he was surprised as he stooped to kiss Pope Benedict’s ring during the visit of the Irish bishops to the Vatican.

Speaking to the Kerryman newspaper Dr Bill Murphy said he was surprised with the protocol but he followed his fellow bishops who bowed to kiss the papal ring.

"When it came to my turn, the person before me did it and I kissed his ring as well even though I was rather embarrassed by it." He said when he previously met Pope Benedict and his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, he was greeted with a handshake.

Bishop Murphy said he was sure the pope would also have preferred to avoid the ancient kissing of the ring custom when he met the bishops in Rome.

”Some people still try to kiss a bishop’s ring but, obviously, it’s out of touch with modern thinking," Bishop Murphy stated.

What do we learn about this Catholic bishop, this leader of men?

1. That he is embarrassed by tradition;
2. That showing respect for the Holy Father is "out of touch";
3. That he has no personal strength of conviction;
4. That he thinks it's a good enough excuse to do something because the last person did it;
5. That he thinks he understands the mind of the Holy Father.

Well, all these things are precisely the sort of things that got the Church in Ireland into it's current mess. What sort of man hasn't the strength of character to simply shake someone's hand if he thinks that is appropriate?

One can picture already the Murphy Commission Mark 2 -

"Well bishop Murphy, why did you do nothing about this complaint?"

"Ah, well, your honour, I was uncomfortable about it and a bit embarrassed but you know the previous bishop didn't do anything about it, so I thought I better just do what he did".

catholic.ie

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:34:10 +0100

Some sneaky rascal has gone and gotten the domain name www.catholic.ie. To get a domain name you have to prove you are entitled to use it. In this case, if you follow the link, you will find yourself brought to www.countmeout.ie, the website for those wishing to defect from the Catholic Church. I hardly think this classifies as legitimate use.

However, if one wishes to complain there is a procedure, but, it will cost you €1,500 to €4,000 to complain! Anyone with deep pockets willing to give it a go?

Finding me

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:50:15 +0100

Everyone with a blog or website takes an interest in how people find their site, and especially which google searches lead them in.

I've noticed that there are three searches which appear far more than any others and they're not what you might expect:

- "Pictures of St Berthold" (early founder of the Carmelites)

- "Climb the mountain of conflict" (my blog is the first site returned by google - funny but people don't linger!)

- "Nazi Julie Andrews" (same as above).

Decided to reinstate the old name "Seen and Unseen" but keep "Catholicus" as well, because, well, because I can.

On Wednesday evening I'll probably do my biennial rant about First Confession - you have been warned.

In the tradition of the Fathers

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 01:05:49 +0100

Well my eldest was studying some ecclesiology in school today.

In Alive-O this means talking about your local GAA club, school, community centre before we all join hands and sing "We are the greatest because we're sorry, so sorry, so very very sorry that we've lost our mamamamama" - translated from a 7th century Syrian chant by Charles Wesley.

Where was I? Yes, the teacher began telling the class about the diocese and how they were part of Armagh - except, as my eldest pointed out, the parish is actually in the diocese of Meath. "No it isn't" - he is a victim of hyper-correction. He heard some vague thing about the diocesan and county boundaries being different. However, every practising Catholic in Drogheda knows that half the town's in Armagh (north of the Boyne) and half in Meath (southside).

As Michael pointed out, the teacher couldn't even pronounce the word "diocese".

Doubtless this will all be fixed when the bishops' determined efforts to do away with grammar schools swings into action.

Or perhaps the Commission on Catechetics will save us. This includes a link to a special website www.catechetics.ie which funnily enough brings you right back where you started - could this be a metaphor for catechesis in Ireland? As you will see the Catecheticl Directory remains "pending" - but we do have a special instruction for children receiving communion at Mass in the Extraordinary Form. Apparently these weirdos receive communion on the tongue and are known to kneel down.

Convicted fat child abuser forgets he's an elder.

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 02:42:51 +0100

You may recall a previous post about a 66 yearl old Protestant Church elder convicted of molesting a child who escaped sentencing to prison because he was so fat.

Well the Attorney General (not yet John Larkin but some time soon, "any time" in fact) is seeking to have the sentence increased. You can read the story here on the BBC.

What's interesting is how the BBC has dropped all reference to him being a Church elder. The original story is headlined "Sex abuse church elder McConaghy 'too fat for jail'".

The latest story is headlined: "Fat child abuser should be jailed".

Funny that. Can you imagine any circumstances in which a convicted Catholic priest abuser would have a story appear without reference to his ordained state? Neither can I.

St Valentine's Day

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:58:44 +0100

Meant to post on Valentine's Day before but was too busy trying to force feed myself chocolate before the onset of Lent. I feel like one of those French geese with the swollen livers.

Where was I? On Sunday morning the boys "treated" us to breakfast in bed at half eight for Valentines day. Sugar Puffs for me and mini shredded wheat for my wife. Could have seen them far enough really but had to pretend, even though I'd had a bowl of sugar puffs at about 2am already - the sugar puffs were a birthday present from my children the week before. "You'll never guess what this one is, daddy" they all yelled as I lifted the carefully wrapped present. "Is it a box of sugar puffs?" says I - revealing that daddy really does know everything.

Anyway, the breakfast was Patrick's idea; Michael was quietly muttering "I think this is a bad idea". Despite my reservations I was rather touched by their thought.

They has also made cards. One of them read like a weird stalker suicide note:

To Mam
Very important are you.
On this day a man was killed - his name was Valentine
Life is good with you
Every day you make me smile
Now you know you're the best mam in the world
Time is good with you
I think you're the best mam in the world
Nothing is good without you
Everything is good with you.

Níl mé ag cainte béarla

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 23:56:39 +0100

I think this is an interesting story from a couple of angles. Basically a Gaelscoil (Irish language school) in Port Laoise is causing trouble about wanting to receive the sacraments (First Confession and Communion) in Irish. The problem with this, of course, is that it then becomes impossible for the children to make their second, third and future confessions without planning by the school. But then most children only go to confession when school organises it.

Have a read of this shorter version from Catholic Ireland News. The language and tone shows up the attitude of so many parents, schools and teachers to the sacraments - "School principal Dominic Ó'Braonáin wrote to parents last week saying that it had been decided not to proceed with the First Confession arrangements proposed by the parish.

He told them that parents are, “unhappy with the arrangements that the parish proposes for the celebration of the sacraments involving the Gaelscoil."

“It is the express will of the parents and school management that the sacraments be celebrated in Irish," the principal continued."

What this version of the story leaves us is that there are other parents who take a more inclusive, dare we say "Catholic" view. From the Leinster Leader we learn that the Chairman of the Parents Council offered to resign over the issue:

"Chairperson of Parents Council, Pauline Madigan, has also offered her resignation over the issue. She said she feels she cannot represent the parents if she does not share their viewpoint.

Speaking to the Leinster Express on Tuesday morning, Ms Madigan said: "I think it's more important to be part of the overall community of Portlaoise."

Ms Madigan offered her resignation at a meeting on Monday night (February 8), but it was not accepted. "My resignation was not accepted but I still don't feel that it is fair for me to represent the parents, when I have a different opinion to them."

Ms Madigan said she did not wish to tarnish the good name of the school, as the staff and principal do exemplary work.

"I am proud to have my children attend the Gaelscoil," she said, "but I feel it is far more important for my child to receive the sacrament with the rest of the Parish."