Thursday, July 2, 2009

News pages for hard news not opinion

Anyone with a smattering of a theological background who reads John Cooney in today's Irish Independent is bound to stand back and wonder how could someone, especially a religious affairs correspondent for a national newspaper, have such little appreciation of what church is about.

Maybe he gives it away when he refers to the people of the parish of Ardfinan in Co. Galway as 'pious folk'. Can one get more patronising/silly?

To talk about someone standing in for the parish priest is also a nonsense.
He quotes the sacristan/leader of the communion service as saying, "It's Mass bar the consecration". Hopefully, Mr Hackett did not say that.

Mr Cooney also talks about 'pre-consecrated' hosts.

He manages to mention celibacy, paedophilia and submissive bishops in the approximately 500 word piece.

On the other hand maybe that is where we are with our faith and our liturgical ritual.

The article is on a news page. Is it a report or an opinion piece?

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