In a 'Radio Maria' interview, two Dominicans Luuk Jansen and David Barrins discuss how faith and science complement each other.
Both men are regiorously reverential to one another and to all priests. It's Fr Luuk, it's Fr David and all the other 'Fathers' who are mentioned.
When it comes to mentioning Richard Dawkins' name it is 'Mr Dawkins', 'this chap' or 'poor old Dr Dawkins'.
But it does make for good comedy.
2 comments:
I suspect this is simply aping EWTN. There is one programme there of Irish origin where two priests call each other Father throughout -- mind you the blog of one of them makes for great hilarity in the use of titles, one of which honorific titles applies for life, and this in a purportedly religious association.
That said, I don't imagine that Radio Maria has (a) a massive audience (b) many listeners outside of regular church attenders, and (c) more than a handful of listeners under 60.
The truth is that the Irish Catholic Church is on the wane. The "prioritising of vocations" is simply a manifestation of whistling past the graveyard. All the available empirical evidence points to declining religious practice year on year. The Vatican's approach to men like Gerry Moloney doesn't exactly inspire confidence, any more than Cardinal Sarah's call for priests to celebrate Mass effectively with their backs to the congregation from Advent onwards. The phrase 'out of touch' doesn't begin to describe what is going on.
It might also be worth thinking about an organisation which gives childless celibate men the title of "father"! It almost has shades of orwellian Newspeak about it. Personally speaking, I always preferred the sobriquet " brother"
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