Saturday, September 28, 2013

AN UPDATE AND A MEDITATION: ARE OUR BISHOPS WARTIME BISHOPS?


It being nearly a month since I last posted I feel obliged to give an update. I am in limbo awaiting the results of a process that will hopefully open the door to the post I have been sent to Cork to fill. This process is outside the control of myself and my Order. There may be 'politics' involved. My future co-workers await my arrival and are seriously under-staffed. In the meantime I say Mass, hear a few confessions and help out where I am asked. My prayerlife is getting a bit more attention but there is more free time than I was expecting. I may go back to painting if only to give me something to do that has measureable results. I wish I could be more concrete about my situation but I can't. I am growing tired of friars asking me how I am getting on in x. I am in limbo.
In the wider world the news that the Mater and St. Vincent's hospital, both in Dublin, have decided to comply with the Government's abortion legislation (by exstension any liberalization of that law) raises questions about the role of the Catholic Church in these institutions. The silence of our bishops is deafening. Perhaps they are busy working the back channels, hoping that networking will still find a compromise. I am beginning to think of them as ecclesiastical Chamberlains searching for a peace, a way of compromise that ultimately only feeds into the war that is here.

I mean it when I say war. The Government has declared war on the Catholic faith by naming and obliging Catholic institutions to provide abortions. I read somewhere that when war begins it takes time to find wartime commanders. Peacetime encourages the careers of managers, networkers and diplomats. Wartime demands commanders who can not only manage but sacrifice, who can strategize and command, who have the courage to engage with the enemy in deadly combat. Are any of our bishops wartime leaders? Have any the backbone to stand up and take action? What would happen if the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin were to withdraw from the hospitals, instruct the other Catholic bodies to do likewise and sell any interest, if has any, in them? These institutions would no longer be Catholic but any future evil would no longer be done under the auspices of a Catholic institution. The bishops have dithered enough. The message needs to be sent to the politicians. It is not the Church that is 'politicizing the Eucharist' but the politicians who voted for abortion and then attempting to receive communion. Those who support the killing of the innocent have no place in God's house let alone in receiving communion.

5 comments:

Anne said...

We really need to pray alot for our Bishops. God bless you Brother Tom. I hope you get out of limbo soon...

Anne said...

2 articles for you in relation to the Mater Hospital Br. Tom.

http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2013/10/01/irish-hospital-should-be-challenging-new-abortion-law-not-meekly-caving-in-to-the-government/

http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2013/09/mater-misericordiae-hospital

I have featured these on my own blog as well http://agnusdeihomiliespapalnuncioireland.blogspot.ie/

It is important to speak up on these issues as lives and souls are on the line here.

Tom said...

Thanks for your comments and these articles, Anne, - yes our bishops need prayer but they also need challenging. If the shepherds are not leading the sheep the sheep need to get themselves heard! By the way: three blogs - I'm pressed!

Fr Seán Coyle said...

The decisions by St Vincent's and the Mater are incomprehensible. What utter contempt by the board of Mater Misericordiae Hospital in particular in associating our Blessed Mother, the Mother of Mercy, with the possibility of the killing of unborn children taking place there. Is it any wonder that the Catholic Christian faith is rapidly disappearing from Ireland? I'm wondering if Fine Gael will betray us again when they announce their policy on same-sex 'marriage' tomorrow?

Tom said...

Coming from a family that thought voting for Fianna Fail was a step too far to the right I have no faith in Fine Gael ever keeping their promises. It seems that the last thing any of our politicians ever keep are promises.

What few seem to ask though is why? Who is pushing for these laws that the Government must act and risk disaster at the next election? Who is calling the shots? This is not the work of pressure groups alone. Orders have been given and are obeyed. Our leaders seem to have masters we do not know.

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