I cannot leave the issue of the Tuam story without linking to a marvellous piece by Caroline Farrow over on her blog. It provides an excellent summary of the issue and responds to the many accusations which have since been proved false. I note RTE journalist Philip Boucher-Hayes comes in for some criticism, correctly in my opinion.
As one commentator said recently: journalists are becoming less and less accountable. Indeed one person said to me in the last couple of days that journalists today are good at creating hysteria but not so hot on facts. While I am no fan of censorship, having observed numerous cases of media hysteria and shoddy journalism in recent years, some of it malign, I am inclined to think that certain measures may need to be considered when it comes to the media.
I think I will finish up writing posts on the Tuam Story, it is becoming clearer that this is one the media have cooked up from a genuine piece of research which studied poverty and care institutions in the past. It is not about the Catholic Church, it is about Ireland and the way she treated her most vulnerable citizens. As someone said to me the Tuam story and the broader issues it raises are more about what Ireland did to the Catholic Church rather than what the Catholic Church did to Ireland. There's something in that.
Anyway, I want to bring two excellent articles to your attention, both from non-Catholic sources: Forbes and Spiked. The Forbes piece puts the spotlight on the media and notes, quite accurately I think, that "the global media are becoming less and less accountable". It seems checking facts and context are becoming less and less of a priority in the newsrooms of the world.
The article on Spiked is from its editor, Brendan O'Neill, an Irishman who regards himself as an atheist, and one in the honourable sense of that term. He is open, fair and critical, but in what I have read of his stuff he is never dismissive. His piece on Tuam is worth reading and making others aware of it.
For a minute I thought I was back in First century Rome and I was wandering through the burning embers of the city, but then I looked at the date on the newspaper - no, not AD 64, rather AD 2013. It's not Nero, just the Irish Times being offensive to Christians...again.
The latest swipe is their headline on an article reporting on one of the Woolwich attackers. I need not explain any further, I'll just quote the headline: "Man arrested for London killing from devoutly Christian family". So we have "killing" and "devoutly Christian" jumping out at you - the Christians are to blame.
I'm sure the Irish Times will say that that was not their intention. Well I say "rot" to that. There were many ways to present this story and this is the way they chose, a way which implies, suggests, sneakily points the finger at devout Christians and I believe that is intentional.
This is deeply offensive to Christians, it is snide, provocative and unprofessional. It undermines the standards of journalistic integrity and objectivity. And yes, it is now typical of the media in Ireland in general and of the Irish Times in particular.
Aren't they lucky we Christians try to forgive and do not have jihad!
Two stories. Two different responses by the media.
First Story: Savita inquest in Galway - saturation coverage by the Irish media, although it is selective coverage - a sad tale of what may well be mismanagement and perhaps even medical neglect seized upon to become the great white hope for the abortion movement in Ireland.
Second story: the Dr Kermot Gosnell trial - an abortionist who carried out the most grotesque procedures in the service of the pro-choice movement, and is now on trial for the murder of post-natal babies delivered as part of the abortion procedure. Media coverage: almost zilch. Indeed the press section in the courtroom is deserted (see photograph above). If you are looking for a good summary of the case, here is one. The details are awful, but in reality they reveal what abortion is - cloak it in nice, PC language all you like, but get down to the nitty-gritty and you'll see that abortion is brutal, inhuman and violent. Gosnell's crimes sound like those committed by some of the world's most notorious serial killers, but in reality this happens in every abortion clinic around the world - Gosnell just happens to be more committed to the job than some and does it right up to birth, just as those who seek abortion rights want.
Why the media silence? There are many reasons, but I think one of them is because Gosnell is the creature of the pro-choice movement, fulfilling their desires, and now that the dirty little secret is being exposed their allies in the media engage in a cover-up. They can't stop the trial, but by gum they'll make sure no one hears about it. Once again the secular media apply the "mushroom principle".
Holocaust deniers are some of the most deluded people on earth - despite all the historical evidence, they still maintain that the mass extermination of Jews did not happen. The secular world and media are scathing of such people, and yet they engage in denial themselves. They deny that the child in the womb is human. They deny that abortion is evil. They deny that it is a brutal, violent and painful procedure. They deny that it destroys women. They deny that it destroys stable societies. They deny that it ultimately destroys our humanity. And then they deny that those who tell the truth about abortion are telling the truth, they deny that we are sane, deny that we are compassionate, deny that we seek to help those with crisis pregnancies.
Just look at Kermit Gosnell's trophies, where the remains of his victims are pickled in jars, and then ask yourself who is in denial: those who seek to defend human life and the humanity of the unborn child, or those who think abortion is the compassionate response to a difficult situation?
And in the midst of this, there are those in Ireland who think we need to enshrine this "compassionate response" in Irish law. Yes, do so, and turn this island into a house of horrors. I think we have seen too much bloodshed on this island, let's not add our unborn babies to the list of those who perished in the name of so-called "freedom".
That said, we must pray. Pray not only for the little ones who are killed and the women who are destroyed, but also for Dr Gosnell that he may repent of his crimes, if he has not done so yet, and for all involved in this crime against humanity. May the light of truth break through the denial, the greed, the blindness and bring them to repentance. And may the Lord be merciful to them and to us all.
The struggle for life suddenly turned another corner in the last day or so. At their annual conference the Irish Medical Organisation - the professional organisation which governs the Republic's doctors, have voted to reject the government's plans to legislate for abortion. A wonderful decision. Given that they work at the coal face, doctors know the truth of medical situations and know that abortion is never necessary to save a woman's life. Now not all at the conference voted in favour, a significant minority voted to support the abortion legislation. That is troubling.
But the IMO's decision is now troubling for the government. In response to the organisation's decision, the government has stated that it will go ahead and introduce abortion: but the question is - who will do the procedure? I presume, and I would like to be corrected if I am wrong, if a doctor affiliated to the IMO carries out an abortion he or she will be struck off for malpractice. If this is the case, how will the government prevent it?
It seems to me that the government may well have to include in the legislation a requirement for doctors to perform abortions when asked, thus outlawing the IMO's position and doing away with freedom of conscience. Indeed I had heard that this may well have been part of the government's plans from the start. In other words, our government may well have to force the medical profession to capitulate. Unless of course it can persuade the IMO to change its mind, or indeed establish an alternative organisation to which pro-abortion doctors can affiliate. Either way, I fear we may be facing a very worrying situation not only for unborn children, but also for basic freedom in Ireland. We must pray for our doctors that they will have the courage to stand up to any pressure to concede that innocent human life can be sacrificed for an inhuman ideology. And let us pray for those doctors who have succumbed.
Pro-abortion advocates have said that they will "name and shame" the doctors who voted against abortion. Well, may their names be written in the Book of Life for their defence of the unborn: they will be shamed nor confounded.
As all this was happening, a number of people have said that RTE had pro-abortion doctors lined up to celebrate the moment - pro-life doctors were ignored. When the decision of the IMO came the media was apparently stunned and they have been smarting since.
If this is true, I would have to wonder why RTE is the sole beneficiary of the TV licence? Why should I as a pro-life Catholic help to fill the coffers of an organisation that bashes my Church, misrepresents my sincerely held beliefs, and is an active, although sly, participant in the campaign to legalise the greatest crime against the innocent humanity ever known? I have a TV so I have no choice but to pay the licence fee: I have no problem with that, but can I not expect an objective service for my money?
Is it not time that we should let them earn their own money and have the licence fee either divided between the various media companies according to ratings, or put to some other use? Given that the government is strapped for cash even suggesting they abolish the fee is probably a non-runner. For one thing it would bring an end to the extravagant salaries some RTE employees are getting: salaries which are scandalous and way out of proportion for "personalities" in a tiny country, particularly when people are finding it difficult now to feed their families thanks to the burdensome taxes the government has imposed.
Today is the feast of St Josemaria Escriva, the founder of Opus Dei, so happy feast day to all the members of the Prelature and devotees of the Saint.
One of the great benefits of the Internet is that you can see many of our holy people in the flesh so to speak, and this is true of St Josemaria. There are a number of YouTube videos of him giving talks and engaging with people. Contrary to the "black legend" which has been constructed around him, St Josemaria can be seen to be a humble, holy, funny, intelligent and engaging person. I am posting one of the videos at the end of this post, so if you have time watch it. I love the joke about the Andalusian gypsies.
Opus Dei have had a lot of bad press over the years. About twenty years ago RTE did a hatchet job on the association and that has poisoned Opus Dei in the eyes of many Irish people ever since. I had an interesting conversation with a parishioner a few weeks ago and Josemaria came up in the conversation - the reaction was not good.
Here is another situation where, thanks to the media, the truth about the Church and a Church organisation has been distorted so as to turn people against it. I think, looking back at what happened, I see the media in Ireland sharpening its teeth on Opus Dei so as to begin its assault on the Church. The success it had in demonising the organisation gave it confidence to go for the "mother ship". In a sense Opus Dei has become the modern Jesuits. In history whenever a government or monarch was going to persecute the Church, they threw out the Jesuits or killed them - whichever was quicker. It seems the modern secularist demonises Opus Dei and then starts on the Church. I suppose that is a compliment to the Prelature - a sign that they may well be a leaven and a powerful witness to the Church.
St Josemaria was indeed a dangerous man - hence many feel the need to demonise him. He had a very dangerous message - a revolutionary message: one he found as he spent hidden hours reading a dangerous book. His organisation continues to spread this dangerous idea, and his sons and daughters dedicate their lives to it, are totally committed to it, put everything else in the service of it. That idea is.....that all people are called to be holy, and that that holiness can be achieved, not just in a convent or monastery, or as a priest or hermit, but in the ordinary events of ordinary lives and through the ordinary work of one's day.
To a world immersed in mediocrity and pleasure, that idea is very dangerous. It is dangerous because it blows out of the water once and for all the accusation that the standards set by Christ and upheld by his Church are unreachable. They are reachable, so none of us have the excuse of lying back on our laurels and saying "It is impossible, just stay as you are, sure God loves you anyway". St Josemaria tells us that we have to jump out of bed in the morning, on to our knees and to spend that day in humble service of God and our neighbour, open to the work of the Holy Spirit who seeks to sanctify us and prepare us for heaven. The dangerous book, by the way was the Bible - in its original integrity and not reinterpreted for our comfortable times.
One of the accusations made against Opus Dei was that they are secretive. I have two responses to that: the first is indignation. These accusations are coming from people and organisations which can be deeply secretive themselves. Is there any other organisation more secretive than the media? When you start looking at what goes on behind closed doors in secular newspapers and media networks you get an eye opener - as we saw in the case of Fr Kevin Reynolds. And as for infiltration - the connections between media and government and various other influential organisations here in Ireland are astounding. There is small, tight circle in Ireland and you are either in or out, and if you are in, then you're "in". There are also other interesting connections and relationships which are kept fairly quiet: one concerns certain political people and the former Soviet Union. And as for the Freemasons, well we don't hear much about them in modern Ireland: is this for a reason? Has anyone noticed that their HQ is beside our parliament building?
My second response concerns the reality of the "secretiveness" of Opus Dei: they are ordinary people living and working in the world, living out their spirituality and striving for holiness in a hidden way ("hidden with Christ in God" as St Paul describes it). They do not trumpet their good works for all to see - they just want to be left alone to love God and serve their neighbour. They do not proclaim that they are members for a number of reasons, one I'm sure is because they have been demonised so much by the media it's best not to draw attention to themselves. After all, any group that has been unjustly demonised tends to be careful. If the media turned on stamp collectors as they did on Opus Dei, I think many of them would go underground.
That said, people have had negative experiences, and that happens even in the best organisations and with the holiest people. No one and no organisation is perfect - we strive for perfection, but that doesn't mean we have it yet. It is also true that every organisation has people who take things to extremes, can be tough, too zealous, and yes, can be uncharitable and unChristian: welcome to the sinners's club (aka the Catholic Church). An important part of the spiritual life is enduring difficult and demanding people: they are called "saint-makers" and Opus Dei has its share of them too!
St Josemaria took Christ's message to heart: "Be holy as your heavenly Father is holy", and he took Jesus at his word when, in his Priestly Prayer in St John's Gospel, he prayed that we would achieve that holiness. Christ will help us, and so in him we truly become children of our Eternal Father: saints. St Josemaria was called to proclaim that message long before Vatican II would reiterate it in its teaching. We don't have to be members of Opus Dei to live that message - it is presumed by the Church that we are striving to do so since the way of holiness is, as our Gospel tells us today, the narrow path to heaven.
St Josemaria was sent to wake us up to this. He often saw himself only as a little donkey, but I think he is more like an alarm clock which goes off on a fine and sunny morning, urging us out of bed to embrace the heroic minute - the heroic life. To those who see the joy of a new day, he is a welcome witness; to those who want to turn over in the bed, pull the covers over their heads and pretend the world does not exist because they are too tired to be bothered with it, then he is an nuisance. Thank God for that Nuisance!
If there is one issue which reveals the double standard which is at the heart of modern Irish secular society it is the area of child abuse. For the last number of years the Catholic Church has been torn to shreds in the media over her appalling recording on the care of children by some in the Church. Much of this was deserved, though at this stage the continued attacks are more of an ideological nature than righteous indignation.
But compare this with the treatment the media give the state and its institutions when their record of appalling failures in the care of children is exposed. Yes, a front page article, but where is the hysteria? Where is the righteous indignation? Where are the politicians demanding retribution? Where are the resignations? It is a very different affair. We have people speaking calmly on television and radio, politicians in government wringing their hands and promises of implementing recommendations. The item may be given first billing in news reports, but we then move on to something else, unlike news bulletins following the release of the Ryan and Murphy reports which dominated the bulletins and had teams of journalists on the job.
For readers who do not know the Irish state's history of child care read this report inThe Irish Times which details the publication of a report on the issue, a report which has been due out for a long time. Children have died in state care - over a hundred dying various unnatural deaths in recent times. Children have disappeared without a trace - still missing, and yet self-righteous Ireland picking over the corpse of the Catholic Church barely raises an eyebrow. Why? As priests and religious sisters are named and shamed (legitimately if they are offenders), those in the HSE and other government departments hide behind anonymity, keep their jobs and no one is any the wiser. Why?
A number of years ago we had a high profile case in which a young girl sued the state to allowed go to England to have an abortion. She won and with the help of the then Health Board went on her merry way to an abortion clinic. Only it was not as merry as we had been led to believe: we learned only recently that the girl did not want an abortion; that her parents did not consent to it - the girl was underage; yet officials in the then Health Board took it upon themselves to decide that an abortion was needed. The girl was devastated when she realised what had happened her: "Where is my baby?" she pleaded after the abortion. And where are those state employees? Why have they not been called to account and put behind bars not only for the murder of an innocent baby, but the abuse of young pregnant girl who did not know what they were doing to her.
And yet self-righteous secular Ireland - modern, "mature" Ireland, picking over the corpse of the "evil Catholic Church" barely raises an eyebrow. But there is much more. As the Church is condemned for her failures in area of child care, the state's part in this is airbrushed. Yes, we had token expressions of regret, but if you examine the situation you see that more than such expressions are necessary. In many cases the state dumped children on the religious orders and told them to look after them. Yes they provided funding, but it was paltry, not enough to feed a canary never mind look after growing children.
A number of sisters involved in the work told me that state officials would arrive at the door with a child, or a family in tow and basically tell the nuns or brothers that they had to look after them. The children were abandoned by the state, put out of the way and burden fell on the Church to look after them. These congregations, contrary to secular accusations, did not have a lot of money - they struggled to make ends meet. Yes, unlike the state, the congregation had lots of dedicated staff who worked for nothing - religious who did not get a salary. Let's remember the innocent, hard working religious who never harmed a child but devoted every waking moment trying to provide food, clothes, heat, education and some affection with inadequate resources. It was not always successful, and some of these religious were not naturally affectionate and some were struggling with "mother's vocations", so there were difficulties. I think we can say that the Church has taken a beating for the state in recent years, it is a pity that politicians do not realise this: as priests and religious are made pariahs, the state slips out of the equation quite conveniently.
What is most interesting in all of this is that we have a Children's Rights referendum coming up in the Autumn. In this referendum the citizens of this mighty Republic will be asked to give the state more powers to protect children, to take them into care and leave parents with lesser rights. The media and secular groups are all in favour of this. Now, will we hear much bashing of the state over this recent report? Will the media take the risk of even planting in people's minds a doubt: that this referendum may need to be defeated because the state has an appalling record of child care? Well, I think we can all work that one out for ourselves.
I refer you to Christopher McCamley's blog for an excellent post exposing the hypocrisy which is at the heart of the Irish media: while praising a disable young woman for her marvellous achievements, violently attacking those who object to aborting children like her.
This young woman, Joanne O'Riordan is an inspiration, as are all those disabled athletes who excel in their chosen field. A few years ago the Irish media was gushing over the Special Olympics when Ireland hosted them, but yet they still consider it a woman's right (duty, perhaps??) to abort her child if that child is disabled. To question this rational, as did Senator Ronan Mullen, results in a witch hunt by the media for daring to "offend" the women who have aborted their children.
Indeed I note that Ryan Tubridy interviewed Joanne on the Late Late Show, the same programme which gave three women proselytising for the abortion of the disabled full reign to promote their position.
Not to be dragging a certain Austro-German dictator into the debate, but he had a very interesting term which seems disturbingly apt as a summary of this "pro-choice" position: "life unworthy of life".
The Servant of God, Cardinal Terence Cooke held an opposing view - a view which challenges that of a certain Austro-German dictator and those who see the killing of the disabled in the womb as a good thing. In the last letter he wrote before his death from cancer, he spoke of how precious life is, and how even more precious when it is at its most vulnerable.
Because that last letter is so profound, I think it is worth quoting in full. It is one of the finest arguments for the pro-life position.
October 9, 1983
Dear Friends in Christ:
How often we speak of " the gift of life," God's "gift of life" to us, His sons and daughters. What a beautiful phrase! How filled with meaning it is! In the Book of Genesis, we read of the origin of this gift: "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
It is at times when life is threatened - such as times of serious illness - that the Lord gives us a special grace to appreciate "the gift of life" more deeply as an irreplaceable blessing which only God can give from conception until death and at every moment between, it is the Lord Our God Who gives us life, and we, who are His creatures, should cry out with joy and thanksgiving for this precious gift.
We are made in God's image and likeness, and this fact gives a unique dimension to "the gift of life." We have even more reason to be grateful. It is tragic that in our time, concepts which are disastrous to the well-being of God's human family--abortion, euthanasia and infanticide--are falsely presented as useful and even respectable solutions to human family and social problems. Human life is sometimes narrowly viewed in terms of being inconvenient or unwanted, unproductive or lacking arbitrarily imposed human criteria.
From the depths of my being, I urge you to reflect on this anti-life, anti-child, anti-human view of life and to oppose with all your strength the deadly technologies of life-destruction which daily result in the planned death of the innocent and the helpless. Together we must search for ways to demonstrate this conviction in our daily lives and in our public institutions. In doing so, we must never be discouraged or give up. Too much is at stake - "the gift of life" itself.
The "gift of life," God's special gift, is no less beautiful when it is accompanied by illness or weakness, hunger or poverty, mental or physical handicaps, loneliness or old age. Indeed, at these times, human life gains extra splendor as it requires our special care, concern and reverence. It is in and through the weakest of human vessels that the Lord continues to reveal the power of His love.
For the last ten years, I have served as Chairman of the Bishops' Committee for Pro-Life Activities in the United States. With God's help, I have tried to encourage and promote a Respect Life attitude throughout our nation. I have pleaded with you to pray and to be active in the many efforts for the enhancement and the protection of human life at every stage of existence.
In October, as we observe Respect Life Month, I call on you to rededicate your efforts for the sanctity of all human life and to work to counteract the contemporary threats to life. I urge you to increase and to strengthen the programs in our parishes and communities for the poor, the elderly, the handicapped, the rejected, the homeless, the suffering, the unwanted, the unborn. I ask you to focus attention again on the Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life activities and on the three elements of education, pastoral care and public policy which are necessary if we are to work for and defend the most defenseless members of society.
At this grace-filled time of my life, as I experience suffering in union with Jesus Our Lord and Redeemer, I offer gratitude to Almighty God for giving me the opportunity to continue my apostolate on behalf of life. I thank each one of you, my sisters and brothers in the Archdiocese of New York and throughout our nation, for what you have done and will do on behalf of human life. May we never yield to indifference or claim helplessness when innocent human life is threatened or when human rights are denied.
With you, I entrust our efforts to the care of Our Lady who, from the moment of her Immaculate Conception to the present, has been the refuge for the poorest and most forgotten among God's people. I assure you of a special share in the prayerful offerings of my sufferings to the Father, in union with Jesus and through the Spirit of Love Who is ours in abundance.
May God bless you always and give you His peace.
Devotedly yours in Christ,
Terence Cardinal Cooke
Archbishop of New York
And as for Joanne, and all those men, women and children who are disabled - they remind us that life must be served and cherished, that it can flourish even in the most difficult of situations and remind us that at the end of the day existence and significance have nothing to do with power and domination. In this, they are our teachers and examples.
When the life of one child is destroyed through abortion, humanity is destroyed with it.
When a political party imposes the whip, there are no problems - members of parliament must, and generally do, follow the party line even if it goes against their personal beliefs: the media has no problem with that.
When a newspaper makes sure its journalists follow the ideological leaning of the paper - or its owners, the staff generally go along with that and ensure the "ethos" of the journal is preserved; media has no problem with that.
When left-wing universities demand allegiance from its staff and end the contracts of those who resist the ideology of Marxism and Socialism, the incidents are usually covered up and the veneer of academic harmony and liberty is given a second coat of varnish; again, the media has no problem with that.
When the Catholic Church demands obedience of its priests and requires them to support publicly the very teaching they swore to uphold as they were ordained, then the media has a problem with that.
Archbishop Nienstedt of Minnesota is feeling the whack of the secular crosier as he exercises his God-given right as Bishop and pastor of his people to ensure his clergy support the Church's efforts to resist the destruction of marriage. Some of his priests are resisting, and all but one of these are hiding behind anonymity as they complain to the press. As for the one who is publicly defying his Bishop, and in this case also the teaching of the Church, he has been warned that if he continues he will be suspended - correct and right procedure, and media are furious.
What hypocrisy from the media! We must pray for Archbishop Nienstedt: he is fulfilling his office as pastor of the flock and suffering for it - may the Lord bless him in his efforts. Do we have another Ambrose here? I hope so, and I hope we will have many more! Let us also pray for those priests who are failing to fulfill the promises of their ordination in teaching and upholding the Catholic faith in its fullness.
UPDATE:
Related to the above item, I draw your attention to the homily Cardinal-designate, Archbishop Dolan of New York gave in St Patrick's on Sunday - he takes on the sexualised culture of our time. I think we have an Ambrose here! Report on the homily here. His blog is here, well worth following.
And other interesting news: it seems the Anglicans have set up a "reverse Ordinariate" to receive Catholics who wish to enter the Anglican communion. The reverse ordinariate is the brainchild of the Anglican Church of Peru, taking the inspiration from Pope Benedict. It seems a Catholic bishop, three priests and their parishioners are going over. The idea is a little different, however: their ordinariate is a temporary arrangement to allow reflection on both sides before the bishop, priests and people enter into full communion with the Anglican ecclesial community.
Well, good luck to them, hope they're happy. We might see the idea catch on in other Anglican dioceses.
Two great pieces for you, detailing bias in the media and the attitude of liberal secularists to Christians.
Mgr Charles Pope has a marvellous article on his blog reflecting on how we Christians are branded intolerant and bigoted while our accusers, who are imposing their agenda on society and trying to force us to accept it, see themselves as "victims". This article is a must read.
The second is Marc Coleman's radio show on Newstalk, which I was listening to last evening. He explores the media bias in Ireland and wonders why Irish journalists home in relentlessly on the usual suspects, the Catholic Church among them, but ignore others. Again, this is well worth listening to (Tuesday Parts 1 and 2).
An interesting fact Marc discusses is the "infiltration" of RTE, the national broadcaster, by the Workers' Party. To those who are not familiar with Irish politics, the Workers Party was originally part of Sinn Fein, whom you all know. They are extremely left wing - Marc calls them "Stalinist" in the programme, and they had links to some of the most tyrannical communist regimes - communist Poland and North Korea among them.
While, at their best, they never had more than 2% of the electorate behind them, there are/were a large number of Workers' Party people working in RTE, hence the organisation's left-wing position and hostility to the Catholic Church: the WP hates the Catholic Church.
Interestingly, former members of the Workers' Party are now members of the present government. Our present Minister for Foreign Affairs, Eamon Gilmore, was affiliated to the Workers' Party when the organisation was known as Official Sinn Fein. Mr Gilmore is the one responsible for closing the Irish embassy to the Holy See.
