Monday, March 25, 2013

Advised to go away and join the Masons

This letter was written to me subsequent to a column I had wirtten in INM Irish regional newspapers on March 6.

Dear Fr Commane,
I don't know who you are or do I want to know you but reading your story in this week's Kerryman leads me to believe that you are one of these so-called association of priests that no right minded priest would want to be associated with, parasites in every sense of the word, lost in the quagmire of sin and the delusions that sinful living manufactures.
Fod God's sake and for the sake of the majority of Kerryman readers, all well grounded and God fearing, go away and join up with the Masonic movement or some other oganisation of similar persuasion.
Sincerely,
XXXXXXX

I doubt the Masons would take me.

The writer did give his name and address.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

You need to learn the secret handshake first... LOL. What a rotter.

Bernie said...

The positioning of the comma between "with" and "parasites" makes it difficult for the reader to tell whether the description of parasites refers to Fr Commane or the "right minded priests"?

It also begs the question: right-minded, or right-winged?

Michael Commane said...

The commas are as placed by the letter writer.

Sister Christian said...

Well now. Isn't it always lovely to get such balanced, fair, rational and kind feedback from Joe Public? :)

"I don't know who you are nor do I want to" - and this is offered as evidence of your God-fearing man's love of neighbour? Delightful.

Michael Commane said...

Indeed, it is interesting to note those who write letters in reply to my INM column.

The letter before this private letter was one written by the then parish priest of Cahersiveen, Billy Crean, who is now Bishop of Cloyne. He too was critical of a column that appeared in The Kerryman. What appeared in the newspaper was an edited version of the original letter written by Fr Billy Crean. He also sent a copy of his full letter to the then provinical of the Irish Dominicans.

Michael said...

Clearly ths person is correct. You are surely lost in the quagmire of sin. Unlike the rmajority of the readers of the Kerryman, well grounded and God fearing, you are a loathsome, Masonlike parasite. Presumably the writer is (a) well grounded (b) God fearing (c) not suffering the consequences of sinful living (d) a practicing Catholic and (e) disparaging of anything that might challenge the institutional view of the world. Jesus had special words for people like this: for this is contemporary Pharisaism, a blious bigoted blighted smuggery of the kind that gives faith a really bad name. Michael, what drivel. But on reflection, how awfully sad that this presumably adult Catholic can somehow think this is an appropriate way to think, act or speak? What a commentary on the formation he received.

richard said...

Michael's comments, above, sum my my feelings (though I admit to having to look up "Pharisaism"). I hope this didn't cause you, Michael C., any pause.

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