A Minister of State was booed off the altar in St Andrew's Church on Westland Row this morning when he tried to address the Age Action meeting called to protest over the abolition of the automatic entitlement to medical cards for the over 70s.I'm baffled by the fact that someone at the parish or diocesan level thought it fit to give permission for a political meeting of this sort in a church. It doesn't seem to respect the sacred nature of the building.
More than 1,000 older people attended the meeting and there were angry shouts of protest every time the Government and Fianna Fáil were mentioned.
Minister of State for Health John Moloney was the Government's representative at the meeting, but when he stood up to speak, he was loudly heckled and he eventually left the microphone.
The meeting was due to be held in a room in a hotel with a capacity for 300, but when hundreds of older people began to turn up, the meeting was moved to the nearby church.
More than two dozen older people addressed the meeting before political leaders were given two minutes each to speak.
PD senator Fiona O'Malley was also heckled but addressed the crowd and said it was wrong that the minister was not allowed to speak. Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore and Sinn Féin's Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin all received a warm welcome.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Unholy row?
Via the Irish Times:
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4 comments:
Over the weekend, I heard from someone who told me that a priest we both know (not a priest of Westland Row Parish) was at that meeting; he made inquiries afterwards, and was told that the Blessed Sacrament was removed from the tabernacle before the meeting started. The priest then told this other person, who told me this. So I have not spoken about it to the priest concerned.
I understand the meeting was supposed to be in a nearby hotel, but the room in the hotel was too small for the numbers.
The fact that the Sacrament was removed, at least, is some consolation, but I'm still profoundly uneasy about a church being used for a political meeting. I'm not sure that deciding to host the meeting there respected the sacred nature of the building and I'm certain that the behaviour of some participants at the meeting was very unbecoming. Shouting and cat-calls have no place in a church. (Unless the homily is really bad.)
BTW, Brendan, I'm intrigued at your mentioning 'a priest we both know.' I presume that means that you know who I am, but I'm not sure that I've ever met you. Unless my memory is failing me again.
Oops! Apologies. Maybe I should have worded that message a bit better!
Fr, when I wrote "someone who told me that a priest we both know", I mean that "we both" refers to myself and the person who told me.
The priest was at the meeting, who told this "someone", who told me afterwards. I have not discussed the matter with the priest concerned, but I know the priest personally.
Frankly, if it had been my decision, I probably would not have allowed the event to take place in the church.
And Father, I am not aware of your "secret identity"!!
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