Sunday Newsletter
Masses Today
6.30: Bryan Flaherty, (Anniv).11.00: Stephen Concannon, (Anniv).
6.30: Joe Dolan, Bowling Green, (Anniv).
- Masses for next weekend, February 19th: Vigil: Susan Coyne, Whitehall; 11.00: Ellen Reynolds; 6.30: Michael & Bridget Hanley, and their son Padraig.
- The collection last Sunday was €1,303.00.
- We will baptise baby Emma Lou today, daughter of Isabel Buchan and Joe Kelly. This will be the first Baptism celebrated as part of the 11.00 Mass since we moved back to the newly arranged church.
- Pray for the late Paddy Kelly, Bowling Green, whose anniversary occurs.
AS I WAS SAYING.....
The French daily newspaper France Soir this week published a cartoon depicting the founders of the main religions - Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and Christianity - sitting on a cloud. Jesus is saying: "Stop complaining, Muhammad - we have all been caricatured here." This newspaper was the first in France to reproduce the 12 Danish cartoons representing the Prophet Muhammad and lampooning Islam's intolerance. This provoked outrage in the world of Islam.
But Alain Woodrow, writing in this week's Tablet, makes the point that caricatures, even bad ones, are excessive by nature in their aim to deflate intolerance, Puritanism and pomposity. So should believers be worried when their faith is debunked? After all, humour can be the first step to humility, he points out. Freedom of speech is a principle worth protecting.
But this is a complex issue. How do you demonstrate your principles? Take the principle of democracy. Supposing someone suggested that, to show the rest of the world how democratic we are, there should be a day when at polling stations throughout the western world everybody could vote Yes or No to the question: Do you believe in democracy?
Most people would condemn that as a futile and irritating, degrading rather than commending democracy. How, then, do you demonstrate the principle of freedom of speech? By embarking on an equally futile and irritating diversion such as publishing inflammatory cartoons just to prove you can?
What the French satirical magazine, Charlie Ebdo, did this week is a far cry from the more naive action of the Danish newspaper which originally printed the offensive cartoons three months ago. There's no good reason for any press to re-publish material proven to incite violent demonstrations. It seems to me to be a wholly gratuitous exercise.
One wonders whether the same publication would be as quick to print cartoons satirising the suffering of Jews in the Holocaust, the mental agony of people who have been sexually abused or the restricted mobility of Nelson Mandela. I write as someone who loves cartoons. They are far more effective than words in challenging received perceptions. But subversive depiction is not limited to the Charlie Ebdo's of the world. It's also a feature of the Christian Gospels, not that Jesus drew cartoons, but he did know the value of cameo stories which could turn received wisdom on its head.
The most famous of these cameos is the parable of the Good Samaritan, in which the maligned and mistrusted foreigner becomes the compassionate benefactor. Another similar and eminently cartoonable story is that of two men praying in the temple. In it, God takes more notice of the faltering phrases of a guilt-ridden tax collector than the practised platitudes of a prince of religion. What is it which ultimately heals the world - the demonisation of what many people call sacred purely to illustrate the principle of free speech, or the recognition of virtue in people who are routinely derided? If principles of justice are being weighed, will the scales tip in favour of Charlie Ebdo or the Good Samaritan?
-Dick Lyng
St. Augustine's Parish
'MOTHER OF ALL PARTIES'
On Friday 17th February
7.30pm for 8.00pm
in
The Ardilaun Hotel
(Celebrating our return to St.
Augustine's)
Tickets (€15)
Available after all Masses today
&
In Priory Office during the week
A VALENTINE ANTIDOTE
(The Victorians specialised in deflating romance through use of satire. Valentine's Day was an obvious target. This is a Valentine Card from 1885. Pass it on!)
Old and ugly, mean and
stupid,
What a chance are you for
Cupid!
Die when you may, this
truth I tell,
Old Beelzebub will toll
the bell.
Tho' men have long
o'erlook'd your charms,
You'll fill old Satan's
glowing arms.
Items of Interest
- REDEDICATION OF CHURCH: As you probably know already, the Church here will be rededicated by Bishop Martin Drennan during the 11.00 Mass next Sunday. Invitations have gone out to those closely involved in the renovations, and to those Augustinians who served in Galway down the years. The Priors of all the Augustinian houses have also been invited. The parish priests of the inner city will be there, together with representatives from the Church of Ireland. The latter group will be presented with the processional Cross at the Mass. So, it is advisable to be in your seats early if you wish to have a comfortable vantage point!
- NOVENA: The annual Novena at the Cathedral begins tomorrow, Monday, February 13th. This is the 25th anniversary of this Galway 'celebration of faith'. There are seven sessions each day: 7.45am, 11.00am, 1.10pm, 4.30pm, 6.30pm, 8.00pm, and 10.00pm. As usual, the cathedral staff would very much appreciate eucharistic ministers. If you are in a position to help in either capacity, contact Sean O'Flaherty or a member of the Cathedral staff at 56357, or make yourself known in the cathedral sacristy 15 minutes before the beginning of the particular session.
- THAT PARISH PARTY: Just a few little things in connection with the Parish Party mentioned above! It is very important that you have your tickets purchased by Thursday at the latest. It is a 'sitdown' meal, so the hotel will need precise numbers in advance of the evening. Alternatively, you could show up on Friday night sans ticket and simply have a few drinks with the crowd when the meal is over. But why you should wish to do that I simply have no idea! Incidentally, if you do happen to be attending, you may be in with a chance of winning a night out. A person has been seen going around the centre of Galway using a camera with the same dexterity as a normal human being would use a Kalashnikov! Rumour has it that familiarity with the streets around the Auggie might win you a tasty night out.
- TEA & COFFEE: At last we are in the happy position of being able to resume our 'Teas & Coffees' after the 11.00 Mass today. Take the opportunity to have a good look around the Priory and inspect the work that has been done. We hope you will find it to your satisfaction. And, if not.....well the problem is all yours!
- LOURDES PILGRIMAGE, 2006: The Galway Diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes will take place this year from July 1st to July 6th under the leadership of Dr Martin Drennan. It will cost €660 for the five nights. (Special arrangements will be made for the sick and invalided, costing €540. The parish will sponsor one sick person to travel. If you know of anyone who would like to go, contact me.) For further information, contact Fr. Martin Moran at 550106 or Fahy Travel at 594769.
- GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND: This worthy charity will hold their annual church gate collection this weekend. The training of guide dogs is quite expensive and they are entirely dependant on your contributions today.
- PARISH WORKSHOP: Once again, a little reminder of our Parish Council Workshop planned for Esker on the weekend of March 1st - April 2nd Friday night 'till Sunday, dinner). This is a residential weekend intended for those already involved through one of our three committees. And really, if you are going to attend you would need to be there for at least 90 percent of the weekend. There is little point in 'dipping' in and out of sessions such as this. Incidentally, the parish will 'pick up the tab'.
- LENTEN TALKS: Ash Wednesday falls on the first day of March this year. We will present five Lenten sessions in the Priory or Church here, depending on numbers involved. I have had discussions with Patrick Towers and Eugene Duffy concerning format and content. You will recall that Monday was our preferred meeting night. Unfortunately, Patrick is unable to make it on Mondays, so how about Tuesdays, beginning on Tuesday March 7th? At the hour of 8.00pm perhaps?
- STEERING COMMITTEE: We will hold our next Steering Committee meeting in the Priory on Wednesday night next, February 15th at 7.30pm.