Spent the last few days driving round Dublin an it did occur to me that while I did see some NO posters, they are 10:1 less numerous than the YES endorsed by FG/Lab/FF/SF and everyone else.
Is this the future of Catholic businessmen / business women here? http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015...00-for-refusing-to-make-cake-for-gay-wedding/
The U.S. has its own form of a "Referendum" starting this week with decision in June. The Supreme Court will hear arguments and will decide in June if same sex marriage is "legal". Unfortunately, I have little doubt on what they will decide. Apparently , getting married to who ever you want is protected under the U.S. Constitution, but killing viable babies is not. I am less and less inclined to "define" myself as an American because none of what I believe in nor the values and rights that I see as core are being protected. I think I will self identify until they throw me in jail or worse as Christian ( or more appropriately - trying to be Christian). Peace. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ppears-cusp-declaring-right-gay-marriage.html
Miler: I'm watching the supreme Court ruling over there with as much interest as the Irish referendum. I agree, it's likely to go only one way. I share your feelings about looking at your native land turn into an alien planet. Though I always saw myself as Catholic first and Irish a distant second.
Not sure how rest of the Yanks on the forum feel, but you are right, I think growing up, we did identify as "American". To be more specific, it was "hyphenated" American (in my case..Irish-American). I lived in NYC in an apartment building filled with Italian, Polish, Jewish, etc-Americans. Your faith, religion was part of you, but it didn't matter all that much and all were respected. We had common Judeo-Christian values. I think this is what has changed. We have no common values anymore or worse, we have respect for nothing. So, while my Catholic values and beliefs were always there, I think these now are identified this way because they are being rejected by the society that once adhered to them.
Since I'm a sentimental fool, this song sums up my growing up in NYC. It was a truly amazing time- a neighborhood- not just the Irish, but all of us sharing commonly held believes and it's gone. I wish my kids got to experience some of it, but now they get X-box, iChat, Instagram. O well, enough wallowing for the past. We live today and we live for Christ. Peace. Enjoy....
Oh how our little Emerald Isle is changing; once the land of saints and scholars. In part the Irish Proclamation: ------------------------------------------- THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT OF THE IRISH REPUBLIC TO THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND IRISHMEN AND IRISHWOMEN: In the name of God and of the dead generations from which she receives her old tradition of nationhood, Ireland, through us, summons her children to her flag and strikes for her freedom. We place the cause of the Irish Republic under the protection of the Most High God. Whose blessing we invoke upon our arms, and we pray that no one who serves that cause will dishonour it by cowardice, in humanity, or rapine. In this supreme hour the Irish nation must, by its valour and discipline and by the readiness of its children to sacrifice themselves for the common good, prove itself worthy of the august destiny to which it is called. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Although the writers above had a different battle in-mind at the time - it does seem to me, that many Catholics will be called to stand or fall; for a much more important battle that outrages, our one true king: Jesus Christ.
To my shame the proclamation is a document Ive never read. Thanks for posting this. I only recently pondered, would the leaders of 1916 have gone to their executions so readily had they known what would eventually become of the nation they were fighting for? Abortion? Divorce? "Marriage Equality"? Vilification of Catholics? Dumping the debt of the EU on its citizens? What has happened at all at all?
I do not know dear soul.. one can only pounder, speculate... different times. I do know one thing: we the spiritual leaders, here know of this once great ecclesiastic country; must endeavor to protect truth -or- be shamed by the truth. If it keeps going the way it is; one can only foresee great calamity: "The ocean shall inundate Ireland seven years before the End so that the devil may not rule over that people."(St. Patrick) "Seven years before the Last Day the sea shall submerge Ireland in one inundation." (St. Columbkille) "The sea will come over Ireland seven years before the day of judgment." (St. Nennius) "The sea shall overwhelm Ireland seven years before the judgment." (Leabhar Breac) I too had a dream of such. Sad times ahead!
Interesting and common thoughts from the US Declaration of Independence: When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--
Not to turn this topic into a history lesson but the leaders and participants of the 1916 Rising were in the minority in Ireland. In fact, the majority wanted to remain part of the UK and often vilified groups like The Fenians, IRB etc When the Rising was in operation, Irish citizens in general were wondering how and why a small group of people would have the temerity to disgrace themselves by upsetting their British overlords. So, the question "What has happened at all at all"? is defunct. We were always forelock tugging to our superiors. Maybe a cultural DNA thing from centuries of colonial rule and Viking/Norman invasion.
Quite scary, hope - theres one name for this sad seemingly inevitable occasion. What makes it all the more believable for the doubting Thomases, (Bless our beloved apostle) is that in The Great Lisbon Earthquake; 1 November 1755: it was also felt in Co. Cork; also about 2-and-a-half-hours later a tsunami; engulfed the coast of Cork. Nobody was hurt thank God! There is a faultline in the mid-Atlantic that if an earthquake where big enough it could cause a tsunami; tidal wave: on an unprecedented scale. The Atlantic is quiet for now.. quite subdued; regarding earthquakes, but as somebody once said; 'its a little too quiet for comfort' God Bless!
"An act vandalism to the constitution" http://m.independent.ie/irish-news/...ar-of-words-in-referendum-clash-31189440.html
I would suspect that both yes and no posters are being pulled down... to which good/bad cause I do not know, but I would suspect the yes- perverse -campaign is more protected in an immoral run society. I must admit to the good cause: it is a pity - that all the yes posters are not pulled down. I am a very peaceful soul.. but I just hate to see this country, or any country being pulled into sinful darkness, and the destruction that awaits.
No matter the issue and no matter the place, the same tactics are used by what can only be describes as fascists. We see them in the streets of Baltimore, NY, and Ireland. For now in those places, it's limited to tearing down posters and throwing bottles at police. I'm afraid in the not do distant future, they will adopt the bloodier tactics of ISIS that we have seen in plsces like Iraq and Syria. Every so often, after some prayer, I look at the comments section in these stories to get a sense of what people are thinking and saying. I thought while crass, the comment I've copied in below is actually very truthful and at the heart of the "yes" group in Ireland and the SSM in the use: "The vote no side is simply religion panicking that they're going to lose control of the remaining presentage of their followers in Ireland, this is the churchs last stand on anything important in Ireland if they loose this one they're doomed and they know it, they realise that if it's a yes their mind control strangel hold on the people will be at an end" Of course this poor soul is wrong- we all know what happens in the end, but, nonetheless this comment reveals the evilness of thought behind most - this issue is being used by them to destroy the Church. A bit ironic- ISIS wants to do the same, but at least they are up front about it. These fascists are hiding behind an issue but want the same results. Well, as I said, we will endure much in the coming near future, but as Jesus Himself promised- not even the gates of hell will prevail against His Bride, Our Holy Mother Church. Let's always remember that as the darkness pervades our lands. Peace.
I gave up reading the comments sections in news articles. Depressing. Scary too. Though to be honest, I think I'll call the comments section the "prayer intention" section from now onon. I must say though, journal.ie, for me, stands out as the most vile example of a terrible comment culture. I rarely read journal because of that.
I agree T and rarely go to the comments section anywhere. When I do go, it us only after praying to the Holy Spirit to give me peace and I never engage or comment back. I go there occasionally and believe me very spend little time to get a sense of what some are thinking. I really like your idea of prayer intentions. I think from now on when I do read a comment like the one above I will pray for that person! Peace.
