Image via Wikipedia Best wishes to all my readers, subscribers, facebook fans and stumblers. Here’s to you and yours having a wonderful Christmas. I leave you with a poem by T.S. Eliot. A fitting poem for the year that we have had I think. The Journey of the Magi A cold coming we had of it, Just the worst time of the year For a journey, and such a long journey: The ways deep and the weather sharp, The...
On Monday 20 December a Carol Service will take place in St Annes Church, Shandon Street Cork at 8pm. This will be a a Celebration of Welcome. A non-denominational service to welcome everyone. Singing the Carols will be Mná, Mná, a choir put together for the event and winner of Chambers Got Xtra Talent Darragh McGann. The service has had some coverage across the pond on LezGetReal who have a post that is well worth reading. Mince pies and...
Changing Attitudes Ireland is again organising events for International Day Against Homophobia in Belfast, Cork and Dublin. While IDAHO is on the 17th May, the events will take place on the preceding Sunday 16th of May. The theme this year is “Open Doors”, which I think is very fitting for a church dealing with this issue. In Belfast the service will take place at St. George’s Church, High Street at 15.00hrs. Following the service between 16.15-16.45hrs. in St. George’s...
Image via Wikipedia Having read Pope Benedict’s XVI pastoral letter to Irish Catholics, I can say I my respect for him and the Vatican has increased. He has apologised on behalf of the church and is sending an Apostolic Visitation for certain Diocese. It will be interesting to see which ones. I have reproduced part of the letter below, 6. To the victims of abuse and their families You have suffered grievously and I am truly sorry. I know...
Image by Getty Images via Daylife From the Archdiocese of Dublin, the Primate of Ireland and now the Supreme Pontiff, allegations of involvement in the cover up of child abuse have been directed at them all. When reading the stories regarding the role played by Cardinal Brady in the Father Smyth case and the role the Pope was in, when he was in Cardinal in Munich there seems to be a strange similarity. In 1975 Cardinal Brady was not...
I got this recently on facebook. Defamation Act 2009 (Commencement) Order 2009 (SI No 517 of 2009) I, Dermot Ahern, Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 1(2) of the Defamation Act 2009 (No 31 of 2009), hereby order as follows: 1. This Order may be cited as the Defamation Act 2009 (Commencement) Order 2009. 2. The 1st day of January 2010 is appointed as the day on which...
Image via Wikipedia So the Murphy Report and the usual outrage is being shown. We have been there before earlier this year with the Ryan Report, but has anything changed? Not much. The priests not named in the report will not be charged, the bishops who let them get away with it are refusing to resign. Information will be shredded. Its despicable. Whats the point of these Commissions if nothing comes of them? This morning though, I was listening to Gerry...
I was going through the Church of Ireland Book of Common Prayer and I came across a prayer for the European Union. Now it is some thing I have never come across before and I thought I would share it, considering it is Sunday. O Lord our heavenly Father, we pray you to guide and direct the member states of the European Union. Draw us closer to one another, and help us to attain justice and freedom, and to...
Image via Wikipedia Well it has happened. The President has signed the Defamation Bill into law today which means in Ireland you can now be prosecuted for blasphemy. Yes that is right, in this Ireland of the 21st Century I can no longer complain about God, Jehovah, Allah, The Flying Spagetti Monster, or any other deity in case I get prosecuted for the crime of blasphemous libel. Now while I am a church going person (Church of Ireland), with...
Armstice Day
Image by Martin LaBar via Flickr I am not sure if many people i Ireland are aware of the promises made by people today attending Rembrenance Day and Armstice Day Services make a very poignant promise during the service. Maybe we should all make this promise. Let us commit ourselves to responsible living and faithful service Will you strive for all that matters for peace? We will Will you work seek to heal the wounds of war? We will...
Read more »