Journalists like priests regularly become fascinated with their own words, which usually ends in boredom for listeners and readers.
It is a phenomenon that applies to most columnists and preachers. It is difficult for columnists to keep up a high standard of writing week-in week-out. But then every now and again they hit the jackpot. It is something that Fintan O'Toole does today in his column in The Irish Times. It is a brilliant column.
It gives the perfect definition of the 'trickster' and it paints an accurate picture of Ireland and the Irish. Writing it, O'Toole had no idea how it is the perfect description of the document produced by the provincial council of the Irish Dominicans on manpower issues.
Plan C, the fudge. Great article, highly recommended. And an essential read for all members of the provincial council of the Irish Dominicans.
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8 comments:
Journalists like priests regularly become fascinated with their own words
This blog being a perfect example.
Well worth analysing all the anonymous comments on this blog. They all have something in common besides being anonymous.
That 'something' being?
More worth analysing the author of the blog - clearly psychotic. Enough material here for a residential conference.
"Enough material here for a residential conference."
I agree, assuming the conference is on German railways and/or Russian Generals.
I am astonished to see these comments. At the very least the blog author has (a) the courage of his convictions and (b) the courage to identify himself. The anonymous comments lack both. Could the anonymous authors be members of the Dominican family?
Let's take the three anonymous comments posted here. The first is a fair enough criticism, albeit a barbed riposte. The second is a reasonable query but its anonymity is problematic (for my part, I don't engage in conversations or dialogues with those who refuse to identify themselves). The third is a cheap, nasty, offensive and libelous jab. No surprise that the author wants to remain anonymous; but that is what one expects of those whose cowardice and ignorance are portrayed in equal proportion. I stand over both those criticisms: the author is cowardly because they have not the courage to identify themselves when making such a criticism, and ignorant because a diagnosis of psychosis cannot be made on such trivial evidence.
I hope the author of the blog keeps us his commentary. He has clearly touched raw nerves and that can only be for good.
Compliments to the people who have not been anonymous with their comments on the most recent posting of this blog.
Someone asks or suggests that the anonymous comments may be from members of the Dominican Order. It is a perspicacious observation.
As said before, the genesis of this blog was partly due to the culture of umhealthy secrecy and anonymity that exists within the church and specifically among a group or section of Irish Dominicans.
The blog has tried to stay away from any explicit reference to events and experiences that have arisen over the years. It is from experiences gleaned over 41 years within the province, from unanswered mysteries in Rome in the mid 1970s, a number of amazing behaviours experienced first hand over the years and also within the last two years. And then the consequent reaction by superiors when someone speaks their mind and asks pertinent questions.
In the past the policy was to move troubled people from house to house. The current policy seems to be to move people who ask awkward questions and are greatly concerned at trends and attitudes that are far from healthy.
Clericalism is doing great damage within the church. Every time a scandal breaks the spin doctors, the lawyers, the fixers do their damage limitation job, but the underlying problems seem never to be addressed.
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