Why was Kenny allowed to eulogise his mother?

"A brief homily based on the readings should always be given at the funeral liturgy, but never any kind of eulogy." (Order of Christian Funerals)

So why was the most blatantly anti-Catholic Taoiseach in the history of our country given a pulpit to preach in?  Because that's what Catholic funerals in Ireland have become.  There were poems read out by grandchildren (to applause), there was commentary from a son as flags of Mayo and Donegal were carried up at the Offertory, and there was Enda with his moving words about the ocean and lighthouses and applause for mothers everywhere.  Modern Ireland.  The GAA at prayer.

Time for Shatter to apologise

I sent this email to Alan Shatter, Minister for Justice and Equality, this afternoon.  I'll let you know if he responds (still waiting to hear from Kenny):

Minister,

following the RTE Prime Time programme which defamed an entirely innocent priest, Fr Kevin Reynolds, you said that the reports left you with “a sense of revulsion at the unspeakable catalogue of abuse against children....While the behaviour took place abroad, we have a solemn duty to do all that is within our power to ensure that perpetrators of this predatory abuse of children are brought to justice wherever it takes place” http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0524/breaking28.html

In short, Minister, you rushed to judgment.  It's bad enough to be defamed by the national broadcaster, but to have the Minister for Justice follow up with such comments must have been very difficult for Fr Reynolds.

While RTE has issued a full apology (and presumably will follow up with appropriate compensation) I did not notice you issuing an apology for your comments;  perhaps I missed it.

If you haven't issued a public statement on the matter I think you should.  And I think that in future you should consider carefully whether it is appropriate for the Minister for Justice to be issuing statements on foot of documentaries rather than convictions in a court of law.

The people will shortly be asked in a referendum to give the Oireachtas and its committees the right to hold investigations and to make judgments as to the balance and fairness of the rights of individuals.  Based on the recent record of politicians, including yourself in the Fr Reynolds case and the Taoiseach in his outrageous remarks about the Pope, I think the people will be very reluctant to entrust you with such power.

Yours sincerely,

Brendan Doyle

Separated at birth

Michael D. Higgins


 

Paul Daniels



"Shatter defends State record on rights"

The Irish Times surpassed itself for irony in yesterday's headline (see title above).  For if Shatter did anything, it wasn't defend the State.  What he did was turn up, allow a bunch of foreigners tell us that we must introduce abortion, change our constitution to reduce the status of stay-at-home mothers and give even more support to the heavily supported Travellers.

Just look at some of the States which challenged our human rights record:

Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Egypt, Ghana, Iraq, Turkey, Cambodia, Algeria, Sri Lanka. 

We really have lots to learn from those countries, don't we.

And what did our Minister for Justice say when challenged on abortion.  Did he follow David Quinn's advice?  Did he point out that there is no human right to abortion in any international human rights instrument?  Did he point out that the European Court of Human Rights itself confirmed this?  Did he heck!

In response to questions on abortion, Mr Shatter said the Government was committed to “expeditious” implementation of the European Court of Human Rights judgment in the A, B and C case. An expert group would be appointed next month, and he pledged to deal with the abortion issue in an “adequate and comprehensive” way.

Of course this is the most important issue, but a more general question - what possible benefit is there for Ireland in being a member of the United Nations?  We get nothing from it.  We have no influence whatsoever.  The liberal left simply use it as as stick to beat us, and an excuse to bring in the policies that ordinary people do not support.

MOOB! The sound of Norris's campaign imploding

It was just too good tonight on Vincent Brown.  Leaving aside his ridiculous theatrical attack on Martin Mc Guinness with his pile of books about the IRA, including the slander that Malachy O'Doherty was in the IRA, for which he subsequently apologised. 

Leaving that aside his simple question to Norris totally demolished him.  It was every cliché you can imagine - rabbits in headlights stuff.  And such a simple question - "David, you've said you can't release the letters for legal reasons.  And that you've received legal advice from Israel to that effect.  Who gave you that legal advice?"

Norris squirmed, he flailed around, he floundered, he grandstanded.  He had no answer.  It was as clear as Pinocchio's nose that Norris has invented the Israeli legal advice.

And now it's been revealed that for sixteen years as a Senator he was getting the Disability Allowance as well.  He's refusing to say what the disability was.  I hear he's a degenerat-
eive eye condition caused by years of blinkered vision and broadmindedness.

Norris and those letters

The letters Norris wrote on behalf of his child raping (ex-)lover continue to dog his campaign.  Today he was claiming that he cannot release them for "legal reasons".  He was suggesting that this was because the case was heard in camera.

The word on the street is that the letters call into question the character of the child victim and once again muddy the waters of consent.

Of course when Kenny was attacking the Pope and accusing him of "managing rape" there was no distinctions made about statutory rape, rape, assault, a pat on the head, a hug, a funny look coming out of the sacristy - none of which of course had any connection whatsoever with one Joseph Ratzinger.

Last in, hopefully first out.

So Norris is back in the race to become President of Ireland.  Good grief.  How much worse can it get?  It's bad enough having the liar Enda Kenny as Taoiseach but having Norris as President.  I think I could not literally bear it.  My grandfather had a British passport - I wonder is that any use to me.  Still Cork did the business and rejected him.

We're still waiting for the press to ask more abuse victims what they think.  Christina Buckley was given a momentary appearance and then never seen again.  We're still waiting to see the other letters that Norris has written.  Of course they'll be much the same as the first one, but can you imagine having a President who has written to Binyamin Netanyahu seeking clemency for his child raping lover?  I would literally prefer having a provo.  And as the President is Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces it might be useful to have a candidate with some experience in the military.  Also, the name: James Martin Pacelli McGuinness.  Who else gives us a chance to show our support for the Holy See by voting for a Pacelli?

Back to Norris.  There is more to come.  It's never come out publicly why he was sacked from Trinity and there are distinct rumours that he was forced to resign because of an inappropriate relationship with a student.

We'll have to wait and see how interested the press is in digging around and how determined some of the other candidates are.  Some signs of hope in the statements from Dublin City Council even as they nominated him.

Children First

Couple of interesting letters in the Irish Times today about mandatory reporting.  Doctors are suddenly discovering that they will have to report under age girls who approach them for contraception or with a pregnancy.  Of course they won't in practise and the Government will find some way to explain it all away - oh yes, Children First - that ought to do it.  It's a great line, isn't it.  If a 14 year old girl wants the Pill we must give it because we must put children first.  But if she then goes to confession and tells the priest, he must rush off to the guards and tell them.  And here's the funny bit - tell the HSE - who gave her the Pill in the first place! 

The other letter is more general, about how old hags will use the process to destroy innocent people.  They're below:

Sir, – Much ink has been spilt in recent weeks as to whether or not the seal of confession ought to be broken in a case where an ephebophile or paedophile confesses to abusing a child.

Little consideration has been given to the problem of a general practitioner like myself, where an underage girl presents for treatment in pregnancy.

If there is mandatory reporting, will I have to report this case to the Garda? Or if an underage girl seeks the morning-after pill or pregnancy counselling, will the doctor or pharmacist or counseller have to report a crime? Whether or not the girl has consented, it is a case of statutory rape, ie child sex abuse. In such a case, there is absolutely no doubt but that a crime has been committed. And it is by no means a rare occurrence. –
Yours, etc,

Dr JOHN KEHOE,
Chestnut Hill,
Naas,
Co Kildare.

Sir, – While clerical sexual abuse is particularly shocking, it is relatively a very small part of the problem. With regard to the substantive issue of compulsory reporting, apart from the obvious consideration that, rather than actually protecting children, it would effectively bury social workers under an avalanche of largely useless information, it seems to me the church authorities, caught on the back foot, in fact have conceded too much. We may well be sleepwalking into a totalitarian nightmare, where anyone with a grudge or a notion can ruin anyone they object to, and they will be considered guilty until proven innocent. And I suppose once again the church will eventually be accused of failing to stand up to totalitarianism! – Yours, etc,

JOE ASTON,
Horseshoe Cottage,
Sherkin Island,
Skibbereen,
Co Cork.

Good grief - he can.

Reading the Government's latest lazy lies about the Vatican.  Clearly a lot of work didn't go into that response.  It's pretty much "I don't care what you say, I still think you did it" school of drafting.  Read it below:

Statement by the Government of Ireland on the response of the Holy See regarding the report of the Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Diocese of Cloyne:

The Government of Ireland thanks the Holy See for its response of 3 September regarding the report of the Commission of Investigation into the Catholic Diocese of Cloyne (the Cloyne Report) and the representations made to it by the Tánaiste in this regard in his meeting with the Apostolic Nuncio on 14 July 2011.

The Government acknowledges and welcomes the statement in the response that the Holy See is sorry and ashamed (I knew the Holy See shouldn't have used that phrase - looks like a bad translation from something else) for the terrible sufferings which the victims of abuse and their families have endured. The victims of abuse and their families must remain foremost in our considerations. (except attacking the Church will remain foremost).

Having considered carefully the Cloyne Report and the response of the Holy See, the Government of Ireland remains of the view that the content of the confidential letter in 1997 from the then Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Storero, to the Irish Bishops, regardless of whether or not it was intended to do so, provided a pretext for some members of the clergy to evade full cooperation with the Irish civil authorities in regard to the abuse of minors. This is a matter of great concern to the Irish Government.  (Even though the Cloyne Report presents no evidence to support this opinion and Kenny's government in 1997 was still opposing mandatory reporting.)

The Government of Ireland notes the comments in the Holy See’s response on the political debate which ensued in Ireland after the publication of the Cloyne Report and in particular the statements made by the Taoiseach and other political leaders. The Government of Ireland must point out that the comments made by the Taoiseach and other political leaders accurately reflect the public anger of the overwhelming majority of Irish people (as generated by the Government and its friends in the media - what percentage of the Irish people read the report?) at the failure of the Catholic Church in Ireland and the Holy See to deal adequately with clerical child sexual abuse and those who committed such appalling acts.

It is the Government of Ireland’s hope that, in spite of outstanding differences, lessons have been learned from appalling past failures. In this regard, it welcomes the commitment in the concluding remarks of the Holy See’s response to a constructive dialogue and cooperation with the Government. In welcoming this commitment the Government expects the fullest cooperation from the Holy See (the arrogance is quite extraordinary - we've accused you of managing rape, used bogus quotations from the Holy Father to make him look bad and now we expect full cooperation!), the Catholic Church in Ireland and all other relevant bodies with a view to ensuing that Ireland is a society fully safe for children and minors and that all of those with responsibility for the welfare and care of children in this country are fully subject to Irish laws and requirements (By which of course they mean the attack on the seal of the confessional).

Can Kenny get worse?

Perhaps I'm misreading this - but Enda Kenny, on being asked about his infamous speech and the Vatican's reaction to it - i.e. their rejection of his accusations point by point - basically says "they weren't asked to comment on my speech - they were asked to comment on the Cloyne Report".  Perhaps I'm misreading him but if I'm not, then he is the most arrogant little creep that Ireland has ever had the misfortune to have as leader.  In today's paper:

"I made my statement to the Dáil, and obviously the question being asked by the Tánaiste on behalf of the Government was to have the Vatican respond in respect of a statutory commission of inquiry arising from the Cloyne situation,”

Kenny's judgment has always been decidely iffy - remember his joke from 2002 to party members and journos - well let's just say it was about an African leader who'd been murdered, it contained the N word and several of the man's family happened to live in Ireland.

Scum, blood traitors, mud-bloods, filth.

Today (Saturday) the Holy See issued its response to Eamon Gilmore, Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs over the Cloyne Report and subsequent remarks of Enda Kenny along with votes of censure passed by both the Dail and the Seanad. 

I thought it was a perfectly judged document.  Its tone was the very opposite of Kenny's poisonous rant.  It was measured, fair, accurate, factual, truthful, to the point, specific, short but comprehensive.  You can read it here.

I think the key passage is: 

"It should be noted that, at the time, not only the Church but also the Irish State was engaged in efforts to improve its own legislation on child sexual abuse. To this end, the Irish Government organized an extensive consultation on mandatory reporting in 1996 and, after taking into account the reservations expressed by various professional groups and individuals in civil society – views broadly in line with those expressed by the Congregation – it decided not to introduce mandatory reporting into the Irish legal system. Given that the Irish Government of the day decided not to legislate on the matter, it is difficult to see how Archbishop Storero’s letter to the Irish Bishops, which was issued subsequently, could possibly be construed as having somehow subverted Irish law or undermined the Irish State in its efforts to deal with the problem in question."

When I read that I was reminded of Christ's trial - if I have done something wrong tell me;  if not, why do  you strike me?

And a short time later I watch, with a sick heart, Eamon Gilmore being interviewed.  I have heard many dreadful words coming out of the mouths of politicians over the years, but rarely any as twisted as these.  Remember, we've had the Church's own report, then the Murphy/Cloyne judicial report - a 400 page legal document, then motions passed by the legislature.  We've had Gilmore, former member of the political wing of the Official IRA, demanding that the Vatican issue a "comprehensive response" and having got such a response, what does he say?  He accuses it of being legalistic and technical.  The Vatican has refuted all charges against it so his response is - "it's not about the facts, it's about the children".

You remember that old advice that professors of law give their students?  "If you have the facts on your side, hammer the facts. If you have the law on your side, hammer the law. If you have neither the facts nor the law, hammer the table."  That's precisely what Kenny and Gilmore will be doing over the next few days.

I think we really need to pray for Gilmore's soul - like Pontius Pilate faced with Jesus, he's asking himself "Truth, what is that?".  Gilmore knows the answer and is pretending otherwise and anyone who knows their catechism knows what happens to those guilty of sins against the Holy Spirit such as resisting the known truth.

My message for Enda

I emailed Kenny a few days ago.  I was waiting for his reply to post along with mine - but it hasn't come, not even a bland acknowledgement.  Here's my message to him:

Dear Enda,

the disgust I and many orthodox Catholics in the country had when you made that ludicrous speech in the Dail attacking the Vatican, based not on anything in the Cloyne Report, but clearly on the prejudices of you and your advisers, including some ordained, is increasingly turning to anger as the implications unfold. 

When I read the speech I thought, "this is something Paisley would have been proud of in his day".  When we heard that you were being quoted by the Chinese authorities in support of its persecution of the Catholic Church in China we were no longer shocked.  This is what you have brought the country to.

Last week the Chinese authorities arrested dozens of lay people and priests who would not support the State choice for bishop.  These are the people whose ideology you now share.  I hope Enda you feel proud.

Brendan Doyle

Sticking with the China theme and the way it's used Kenny's speech to support their persecution of the Church, now we're seeing the ghastly circle move homeward as more stupid Irish people point to the Chinese Patriotic Church as the way forward.  Letter in today's Irish Times reminds us of the words of Bishop Willie Walsh of Killaloe on his tour of China, and quoted by the then Beijing correspondent, Conor O’Clery (October 30th, 1998): “Sometimes it can be just as heroic to live with an ambivalence as it can be to make sacrifices to pursue a very definite and distinct line.”

I don't know if the quote is genuine, but if it is, well, another reason to be glad that bishops retire at 75!

Couple of links of interest

Dermot Keogh has an article in the Irish Times today about the significance of the Kenny speech and the impact on diplomatic relations with the Holy See.

Also a good article here on the seal of the confession.

Welcome to my site - there's only so much you can take before you have to scream! And Tom Barry, TD, is it!

I've been reading other people's blogs for a long time, sometimes commenting but never committing to one of my own.  I amost started one a few weeks ago when Enda Kenny made his disgraceful speech attacking the Vatican for the failings of the Bishop of Cloyne, but time passed and I didn't.

Then today I read an item in the paper about Deputy Tom Barry calling for Catholics not to pay compensation to victims - "the Church should pay - the Vatican should sell its treasures".  I had had enough.  I put finger to keyboard and emailed the Deputy to tell him what I thought of him.  I thought I would be ignored or get a standard polite acknowledgement.  I didn't - so I thought I might publish the correspondence to show the type of Deputies we now have in the Dail.

First my own email (which I admit wasn't gentle):

I've just read this news item on the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14682023which says:

"We should not be made pay for the wrongs that were committed, the Church itself should pay out" he said.

The TD (member of Irish Parliament), a Catholic who lives in the Diocese of Cloyne, said the Catholic Church could easily pay the bill itself by selling off Vatican treasures.

"As a father of young children I find this very difficult to accept, the church needs to show that it is sincere in its apology and the Church should be about religion not property if it takes the Vatican to start selling off items, so be it" he said.

Are you really as stupid as you sound?  Have you been reading Enda Kenny's speeches?  Perhaps, like him, you'd be happier living in Communist China.

Forty years after the Second Vatican Council we have people like you calling themselves Catholics and then talking about "the Church" as if they were not part of it.  Why on earth would the Vatican sell off anything to pay compensation when it is not responsible? 

Have you actually bothered to read the Cloyne Report?  What did Enda Kenny do during his three decades as a TD to introduce legislation to bring in mandatory reporting?

We never dreamt before the last election that we could have leaders worse than Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen - how wrong we were.

Brendan Doyle.

And his response:

Dear Brendan

Having read your interesting communication, I really feel that it is indeed yourself who must be living in the wilderness.
I wouldn't even cast aspersions like you did on Communist China.  You asked a question "are you really as stupid as you sound", it beggars belief that you can form an opinion and call someone stupid even though you have never met them.  The word stupid in fact displays your downright bad manners, arrogance and hard heartedness to the abused victims and its responsibility for not reporting it.
I would like you to go and reflect on your comment "Why on earth would the Vatican sell off anything to pay compensation when it is not responsible?" and welcome you to a more pluralist, open all-inclusive Society which thankfully Ireland is becoming.

God Bless

Deputy Tom Barry

I was going to continue ranting about the failures of the State and how we've all had to pay, whether we like it or not - no question of "let's make The Government pay, not the taxpayer" - but I read this guy's article and he's said it all at The Irish Central - check it out.