In a wheelchair and smoking in a TV studio

The great Helmut Schmidt is guest on Guenther Jauch this evening. He is talking about the EU crisis with special reference to the euro.

And what's he doing? Smoking.

Even the Germans break the rules.

Then again, the same Germans were one of the first to break euro rules.

Helmut Schmidt points out how inflation has been kept low since the introduction of the euro but he is concerned about the level of unemployment in some EU countries.

Helmut Schmidt joined the SPD in 1946 and was one of Germany's great post war chancellors.

Schmidt blames the US banking for much of our current crisis and the infamous dictum, 'to big to fail'.

He explains how the US banks had too powerful a lobby influence on US politicians.

He understands why the young people are protesting but he is not sure they will produce results.

He refers to Margaret Thatcher and how in her time the markets became a god.

On the programme with Schmidt is Peer Steinbruck who was SPD finance minister in the grand coalition with the CDU/CSU.

Steinbruck thinks that politicis is right now incapable of playing its proper role vis a vis the banks.

Schmidt sees hope in the EU and believes that in 40 years time the US and China will strive to develop in an EU-style political system.

He speaks of the importance of having a government in the middle and makes referecne to Germans voting for the Nazis and the Communists in the 1930s while all the government could think of doing was saving money.

This evening's Guenther Jauch Show has to go down as one of the great programmes of the century.

Well done ARD.

So close and old-fashioned miles apart

Within metres of one another an elegant woman takes her golf clubs from the boot of her car and a man of a like age to the woman is having difficulty pushing a rubbish bin on to his dust cart.

Two worlds.

We should have called it the Seven Stooges show

It seems the presidential election has turned into a farce.

It really is cringe material with candidates vying for inanities.

Dana appears with a punctured tyre, Sean Gallagher has a Fr Ted-style account 'resting', Gay Mitchell throws a tantrum in TV studio, Mary Davis' Special K ad is ageing quicker than she, David Norris comes and goes, Martin McGuinness keeps on telling us when he left the IRA and Michael D Higgins promises us he is not too old.

The odd ways people see things

Virginia state house minority leader, democrat Ward Armstrong: "I'm pro-life, pro-gun and I always put Virginia first".

We believe the Spirit dwells in the community

The piece below appears in today's IN&M's Irish regional newspapers.

By Michael Commane
It's probably true to say that the majority of people who read this newspaper belong to one of the major Christian churches in Ireland. And I presume that the majority of people who read this column are Catholics.

So have you any idea how your parish priest is appointed? Have you any idea how your bishop is appointed?

Do you think you should have a say?

Do you feel you play an active and meaningful role in the church?

Or should all that sort of 'stuff' be left to the priests and bishops?

Have you ever sat back and asked yourself what the word church means?

These are some of the questions the new Association of Catholic Priests is asking among its members.

The ACP held its first AGM two weeks ago in Dublin's Green Isle Hotel.

Among those who spoke to the group was Monsignor Helmut Schüller, former vicar general of the diocese of Vienna, who is the leader of the Austrian Priests' Initiative.

The Austrian priests are asking their bishops for a far more open and
transparent church, where people and priests speak openly and honestly with one another. They are asking for a church which concentrates less on fear and more on trust in the Spirit and Word of God.

The Austrian priests have taken their case to Rome and at present there is type of stand-off between them and the Holy See.

The Cardinal Archbishop of Vienna, the Dominican Christoph Schönborn, has been critical of the group. But latest reports indicate that he is willing to sit down and talk to them.

The new ACP in Ireland has been set up in the context or background of all that has happened in the area of clerical child sex abuse. Priests have felt isolated and let down by church leadership.

But there is also an underlying belief among many priests that church leadership is aloof from people and priests and indeed, after all the turmoil and talk, there is still a clerical elite' that rules from on high, far removed from the tone and spirit of what the Second Vatican Council intended.

Those of you who attend Mass will be aware that a new Missal is being introduced. On the first Sunday in Advent it will be fully in use in all dioceses in the country.

The ACP at their AGM pointed out that the new Missal has been introduced with little or no consultation. They argue that a small conservative group within the Vatican has forced this new translation on us.

There certainly are many strange aspects to the new Missal. The Opening Prayer is now called the 'Collect' - a word that was used before the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council. A word that has no meaning for large numbers of people who attend Mass. So why use such a word?

Many of the prayers have unwieldy sentences that are difficult to understand. And then there is the issue of exclusive language.
Although the new Missal is supposed to be a considerable improvement on earlier translations as regards inclusive language, it is more than disappointing to find some changes, eg, “for us men and our salvation” in the new version of the Nicene Creed.

Every baptised person is a member of the church and each one of us has a role to play in the church community.

The mission of the church is to make God present in the world and surely that can only be done in the style and the language of the time.

Different groupings within the church might complain and fear that the church might be hijacked. But there is also always the worry that the church could so easily be hijacked by its own clerical class.

As Christians we believe that the Spirit of God works in our church.

Don't ever forget, the Spirit works in and through all of us.

And we owe our loyalty to that Spirit of truth.

Spare us from hypocrisy

Below is the 'Thinking Anew' column from Saturday's Irish Times.

I can still clearly remember the event. It was third or fourth class in primary school and a visiting teacher came to talk to us. He was working outside Ireland and was home on holiday. Within seconds of beginning his talk he asked the class about the pronunciation of the word 'often'. Some said the word, pronouncing the letter 't' others said it without the 't'.

He said what he considered was the correct pronunciation and then sneered at those whom he claimed got it wrong.

And now thinking about the incident, while I can remember his plan of entrapment, I do not remember which pronunciation he claimed was the correct one. So from a pedagogical aspect the whole exercise was a waste of time. All I can remember is the nastiness of the experience and the sneering that went with it.

In tomorrow's Gospel (Matthew 22: 15 - 21) the Pharisees ask Jesus whether or not it is permissible to pay taxes to Caesar but it is interesting how the passage is introduced.

“The Pharisees went away to work out between them how to trap him in what he said."

The sentence is a brilliant insight into the mindset of the Pharisees. One might add, it is an insight into how so many of us can think and behave from time to time.

They're tricky, they hatch nasty and “clever” plans how to catch out this man, who is preaching a message of openness and honesty.

It's easy to point the finger at the Pharisees. They're “away out there” and don't really impinge on anything to do with us.

But when you come to think about it, all of us have our little armoury of entrapments. The word 'Schadenfreude' - taking pleasure in another person's misfortune, gives it a respectability it does not deserve.

How many of us scan the tax defaulters' list when it is published in the national media? You spot someone's name on it, someone you don't like. Certainly it's not for the good of the State that you take “delight”. No, a nastiness in us that needs to be corrected. Alas, it’s another of the negative traits of being human. But just as Jesus was aware of the ‘malice’ of the Pharisees, surely we are on the first step to ‘recovery’ or sanitising ourselves when we have the ability and wisdom to acknowledge such a trait within us.

Trying to entrap people, trying to catch people out is a horrible characteristic. Most of us, I imagine would never publicly admit to such behaviour, but Matthew tells it as it is. So often when we criticise the Pharisees and see nasty traits in them we forget that they really are a metaphor for Everyman.

If we genuinely believe in the Christian message then we have no option but to say that we believe that each one of us is made in the image and likeness of God. Every person deserves our respect - no matter how far they fall. The idea of catching someone out, the thought of entrapping someone needs to be banished from our psyches.

Maybe there has been at times an over-emphasis in the church concerning punishment. I certainly have childhood memories of being told stories about damnation that had to be created by someone who really was hell-bent on settling scores.

In tomorrow’s Gospel Jesus is clear that the idea of entrapment is the antithesis to everything he stands for.

Matthew tells us how the Pharisees were surprised with his reply and they simply left him alone and went off.

The next time I am anywhere near attempting to entrap someone I am simply going to recall what I have written here, stop and think of what Jesus had to say to the Pharisees.

It is interesting how Jesus when he tells them that they are trapping him, calls them hypocrites.

Anyone who has ever taught Hamlet to school children will have noticed how young people are so opposed to hypocrisy.

I have always tried to explain that the older we get the easier it is for us to be hypocritical.

The grace of God can spare us from that too.

Michael Commane OP

Sex abuse, media and religion all in a day

The Dana story is all over the newspapers today. The Irish Times gives a detailed account about a child sex abuse allegation against her brother.

There is the story of the man in Longford who sold signed Mass cards being jailed for child porn.

A bishop in Kansas is indicted on charges of failing to report suspected child abuse.

And staying in the US, presidential candidate's wife, Anita Perry blames the media for making slurs against her husband's faith.

German precision has not been gecancelt

German talk show programme on ARD last evening discussed the introduction of foreign words, mainly English, into their language.

Interesting. They use a large number of English words in computer speak.

Few people knew how to spell Email and the past participle of 'cancel' is 'gecancelt'.

No-on on the panel knew what 'cc' was on the email page.

And a language expert joked that one could use the word 'Klaprechner' for laptop.

As a result of the language reform, three consonants may now come together, so it is permissible to write 'Schfffahrt'.

The Germans reformed their language 10 years ago. There is no deviation from the rule.

Could it happen in any other language?

Suggestion for Ryanair advertisment

CityJet is currently running an ad. It goes: It's Mr Nolan and not Seat 12A.
That may not be the correct name or seat number.

But wouldn't a follow-up ad from Ryanair with a pic of the CityJet ad and then with a quote from Ryanair -'Mr Nolan me arse', be clever?

So much news, maybe very little information

At lunchtime today soccer fans will find out what team Ireland will be playing in the European play-offs.

They will be able to watch on the RTE live stream.

With modern media we have news at our fingertips.

There are people who criticise the media for bringing so much bad news into our rooms.

Were things always so bad or is it that we know about today whereas inthe past we did not know about it.

And yet, at times the media can easily sanitise reality. It's easy to think that everyone else lives a great life.

In so many ways we never have a clue what goes on in homes and inside people's minds.

We have no idea the pain and turmoil that people suffer.

Maybe the word to say is, go gentle on one another.

Lars von Trier's Melancholia worth a viewing

Von Trier's Melancholia is currently showing in Dublin's IFI in Temple Bar.

Easy to miss the first 20 minutes and still follow the film.

A reviewer has said it is tedious, which it is but it is also making a statement.

Justine, the bride, is 'specially gifted' from the beginning of the film to realise that everything about the world is pointless - there is nothing to it but 'evil'.

So when the world is threatened by another 'planet' she does not fret or grow surprised.

But she does 'protect' her little nephew by telling him and then building for him a 'magic cave', in which he, Justine - Kirsten Dunst - and Justine's mother, her sister, go for protection.

The little boy believes he is safe. But of course no-one is safe.

The film is about the nonsense of life, the world, our importance.

For anyone engaged in trying to say anything about the Word of God the film might make some sense. It might well be an antidote for silly, trite preaching. There are no platitudes in this film.

The two links below deal with Melancholia

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2011/sep/29/melancholia-film-review
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/cannes-film-festival/8520943/Cannes-2011-Melancholia-review.html

Scripture expert lauds priests' association

The piece below is a comment posted by Fr Wilfrid Harrington on the Association of Catholic Priests website,

Though I had, at an early stage, as token of support, become a member of ACP, I had not, hitherto, attended an Association meeting. I did go along to the Greenisle Hotel meeting on Tuesday evening but, mainly, to acknowledge the Association award to my friend Sean Fagan– a great theologian, shabbily treated by the Establishment. What I experienced was heartening: especially the enthusiastic support of the Association by the big attendance of lay women and men — they almost monopolised the contributions. I thereupon decided to attend the Wednesday morning session.

I am one converted by Vatican II. My articles in Doctrine and Life, during and after the Council, bear witness. I have been saddened by the betrayal of Vatican II over the past thirty years. I now know, from our meeting, that Vatican II is not dead. Now I am aware that I belong to a sizable group of priests, diocesan and religious, who still believe in Vatican II. And, happily and vitally, not only clergy, but very many lay women and men.
After our AGM I confidently expect that membership of ACP will grow substantially. We, and our like, will sustain the vision of Vatican II: a Church truly the Church of Jesus Christ.
Wilfrid J. Harrington, O.P.

Vast quantities of good food dumped

The Guenther Jauch programme on ARD - German television this evening discussed how we in the western world waste food.

According to the programme, one third of German food product for the home market is wasted.

On the programme was a young 25-year-old woman who takes 'waste food' from supermarket bins in the evening.

Programme personnel accompanied the young woman and viewers were shown bin after bin filled with food in good condition.

One billion people on the planet have not got enough food to eat.

How much food did you waste in the last seven days?

Dana and her victim appeal

Presidential candidate Dana insists there is a media antagonism towards her because she publicly admits to being a practising Catholic.

What is it about conservative Catholics that thinks the media is out to get them?

It seems to be a return to the old victim philosophy. It really is another trick to try to fool people.

A web entry that gives an insight into nonsense

Yet another diary entry on the webpage of a province of the Dominican Order. Again, it is in italics

It's embarrassing and tells a great story of simple nonsense.

The next step will be to tell the world it is a 'de ea'.

If the new Roman Missal talks about 'collects' we might soon be reading about 'feria'.

The story of how the same missal upper cases the word 'priest' but 'people' appears with a lower case 'p'. Nothing else could have been expected from these people. And so sad.

Moving the chairs on the Titanic made more sense.

Thursday 27th week
Today is Thursday of the twenty seventh week of the year.

Large numbers attend priests' meeting

The Association of Catholic Priests held their first AGM in Dublin on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning.

On Tuesday Fr Kevin Hegarty gave an impressive speech, which received coverage in Wednesday's Irish media.

On Thursday morning Fr Brendan Hoban addressed the meeting where he spoke of the importance of the group speaking in a coherent way, with disciplined purpose.
"If we are pigeonholed so be it but it important that we are a voice heard in the Irish church," he said.

There was an open discussion where people spoke about how the new missal had been introduced without any consultation.

The new missal seems to move away from the language that is spoken by people in their day-to-day communication.

Who knows what the word 'collect' means? What was wrong with 'opening prayer'?

The use of upper case lettering tells its own story.

Sociologist Marie Keenan gave a paper on child sex abuse. She expressed concern with the Irish church's setting up a parallel investigative office on sex abuse, when that task should be in the hands of the Garda alone.

Over 300 attended the meeting on Thursday morning and it was widely accepted that the first AGM had proved most successful.

Confusing singals on organisation's origins

This blog has been critical of some websites of the Dominican Order.

Today's entry from one of those provinces seems quite confusing.

It is in italics below.

Feast of St Francis of Assisi
Today the Dominican Order keeps as a feast the memory of Our Holy Father Francis.

Hans Kueng speaks out on priesthood

Hans Kueng is quoted in Sunday's Italian newspaper, La Republica: "People are always trhing to deny the correlation between he abuse of minors by priests and the ruling on priestly celibacy but in the end you cannot avoid it".

He goes on to say: " The defining traits of [the Roman system] are the monopoly of power and truth, clericalism, juridicalism, misogyny, a hatred is sex and a profane use of the power of religion."

A former employee of MI5 has said, "I suppose it is strange for me to say this but I am tired of all the secrecy. It makes one so lonely".

Aberrations have a far greater chance of happening in rarefied conditions than in a normal environment. The current form of priesthood and religious life leaves so many doors open for 'unusual' practice.

How priests use and abuse money is a a wonderful subject for a doctoral study. Religious communities paying workers to replace a light bulb!

The crass mismanagement of resources, the waste, the ineffeciency. And all of that during one of the greatest recessions that has hit the western world.

It will be interesting to see what happens at the first agm of the newly formed priests' association in Ireland taking place today and tomorrow in Dublin.

Yet another exciting website entry

Another exciting website entry from one of the provinces of the Dominican Order. Note spelling.

This is really not acceptable or even fair to the organisation.

Entry is in italics.

Friday 26th week
Today is Friday of the twenth sixth week of the year; the Church also keeps the memory of St Jerome on this 30th day of September.

How dare a priest say a word about poverty

Middle class white privileged people have no idea what it is like for those who are poor and are forced to eke out an existence.

How in God's name can a minister of religion say a word about poverty when they are positioned millions of miles away from anything to do with the word.

And another day of exciting news

Yesterday this blog commented on long rambling sentences on websites operated by the Dominican Order.

The piece below, in italics, is today's entry on the website of one of the provinces of the Dominican Order.

01 January 1970


read more...

The Dominicans take great pride in their preaching and communication skills.

Of course it may not be fair to make such criticism, especially in public. But it is important to highlight the complete dysfunctionality that is being experienced right across the institutional church.

The website issue is small, almost incidental, but it is a powerful metaphor for what is happening.

The public is bombarded with the great pomp and ceremony of ordination and profession ceremonies and all done in such a flurry. One wonders what's behind it all.

There is something seriously wrong.

A terrible tale of evil and terror

This evening German television - ARD - screend a film of what life was like in the former GDR for those who refused to accept the terror of the German Government in East Berlin.

The simple bravery of ordinary people and the nastiness of the institutional people.

It also forces one to realise that between 1933 and 1989, governments in Berlin ruled through terror and the most evil of deeds.

Nothing in Europe in the 20th century can be compared to the terror of what Nazi Germany and the Ulbricht/Honnecker governments perpetrated.

All the money in the ECB/EZB and the Central Banks of the EU could ever compensate for what happened on German soil for from 1933 to 1989.

Done by Germans to Germans.

Anyone who might be interested in streaming the programme - title is 'Jenseits der Mauer'. And it was on ARD, today, September 28 at 20.15 German time.

Long rambling sentences

While it may not be polite to criticise another's writing, it is difficult not to overlook the following sentence.

It is on the home page of the Dominican Order's webpage. An opening sentence with over 100 words.

It is difficult to understand that an organisation that says it is dedicated to 'preaching' can do this sort of thing.

Some of the Order's websites are simply ludicrous - so poor that this blog simply ignores the material - content, grammar, syntax. At times the irrelevancy is embarrassing.

But one would imagine the flagship of the Order could do better than this.

Here's the sentence.


The Master General Fr. Bruno Cadoré decided to reactivate the International Bureau of the Dominican Family with the following objectives: to animate collaboration and coordination of new potential projects among the Dominican Family, in order to make the Gospel be Good News to everybody and everywhere, and to do this together; to foster mutual understanding of expectations of each branch of the Dominican Family; to continue in common the celebration of the Jubilee Novena of our Order, with its annual themes; to discuss any other task that is deemed useful for the mission and life of the Dominican Family today.

And the entry below, from one of the provinces of the Order, really catches the reader's imagination.

Wednesday 26th week
28 September 2011
Today is Wednesday of the twenty sixth week of the year; the Church on this 28th September also keeps the memory of Dominican Saints Dominic Ibanez...

Different words and tones at different venues

It seems Pope Benedict said many things during his four-day State visit to Germany.

In Erfurt he expressed concern for the growing fundamentalism in the Christian churches.

In Freiburg he spoke about the dangers of lukewarm belief. He also made reference to the importance of Catholics staying loyal to Rome.

It is interesting that what he said in Berlin and Erfurt was exciting - he spoke with an openness and respect for the world.

And then in Freiburg it was the 'usual preaching' of dos and don'ts that never inspire.

The audience in Berlin and Erfurt was different from the 'faithful' in Freiburg.

The diplomats and 'church watchers' might have an explanation. but is it all a clever game of chess?

Has all this something to do with a form of relativism? Relativism is something Pope Benedict abhors.

Indeed, a funny old world.

Scottish saying does not tell the full story

This column appears in toady's IN&M Irish regional newspapers.

By Michael Commane
When I was a novice, back in 1967, our novice master often quoted a Scottish saying, suggesting if people were to sweep outside their own hall-door, then all would be well and fine.

At the time, it made a lot of sense. But these days, I’m not too sure. In fact, that Scottish saying might not even be all that Christian. For example, what happens with those not able to care for themselves?

I work in the press office of the aid agency Concern and through my job I’ve learned something of what life is like for the billion people around the world who don’t have enough food to eat. I’ve learned, too, something of the heroism of so many people who live their lives on a daily basis against the odds.

Agencies like Concern do extraordinary work in helping the poorest of the poor around the world. Not just sticking plaster initiatives but putting in place long-term programmes that allow people both to claim their dignity, by being responsible for how their country develops and flourishes.

We all know there are serious problems in the Developing World. The current drought in the Horn of Africa is shocking and the response of the Irish public has been truly amazing.
And then last week I read three statistics that quite genuinely made me fall out of my standing. Every household in Ireland throws out €1,000 worth of food every year. That’s the equivalent of €20 a week. As Father Dougal would say, 'that's mad'. And so it is. It’s also annoying and disgraceful. Supermarkets throw out thousands of euro worth of food every week. So also do hotels. And health and safety rules forbid them to give the food away for free or at a reduced price.

The second statistic was 46.2 million. What does it represent? It’s the number of United States citizens who exist below the poverty line. I’m no US basher. But when I saw that figure I simply could not believe it. And then to complement those 46.2 US citizens, the government in Washington spends over €26 million every day on the wars it is currently fighting.

Is the world gone mad? In those ways, I think it is.

Last Tuesday morning, at 01.00 Irish time, officials in the State of Georgia applied a lethal injection to Troy Davis. There has been much controversy about the safety of his conviction for murdering a policeman. Witnesses have retracted their statements. Some have claimed intimidation. And yet, this black American man - a poor man - was killed, in what many think is the world's most sophisticated country. Justice or revenge? Will the Pro-Life lobby take to the streets about this ‘lawful’ killing? I’d love to think so, but I doubt it. Will they have gruesome pictures of the dead man in their newspapers and magazines? I doubt somehow or other.

We all know about the places in the world where life is a hell: children cannot go to school, few have enough to eat. We read about how cheap life is in the ghettoes; in cities where children are routinely rounded up and ‘Disappeared’ because of their appalling crime of poverty.

But when we hear about what passes for ‘life’ in the USA, ‘the land of the free and home of the brave’, then really, all I am able to do is scratch my head and admit that this world of ours sure is a strange place.

Sweep in front of our own doors? By all means. But this time, over 40 years on, let’s not forget our neighbours’.

Powerful pictures from Erfurt

Powerful pictures from Erfurt this afternoon.

Interesting to know what Christian Wulff and Angela Merkel said to the episcopal gliterati in the former Augustinian church.

It was in Erfurt that Willy Brandt spoke to the large crowd as the Stasi looked on.

And then later it was Erfurt born Hans Dietrich Genscher played such an important role in the days and months before the fall of the Wall.

And Erfurt is not too far from the Wartburg where Luther translated the Bible.

Bundestag falls silent for Pope Benedict

The link below is from today's Frankfurter Rundschau. It is on Pope Benedict's visit to the Bundestag. Interesting and enjoyable to read.
http://www.tagesschau.de/inland/papstbesuch152.html

"Anspruchsvoll und nachdenklich" oder letztlich nichts Neues? Die Papstrede dominiert heute die Leitartikel der deutschen Zeitungen - und erhält viel Lob. Benedikt XVI. habe mit dem Herzen gesprochen, meint die Leipziger Volkszeitung. Die Frankfurter Rundschau lobt dagegen vor allem das Geschick des Papstes. [dlf]

The above is from ARD "The Pope's address in Parliament dominates today's editorials and receives much praise.

"Benedict XVI spoke from the heart, the Leipziger Volkszeitung writes. The Frankfurter Rundschau praises the skill of Pope Benedict.

The Pope also said in his speech: " We Germans have seen how power became divorced from what was right ... how a highly organised band of robbers were capable of threatening the whole world."

Pope Benedict arrives in Berlin

Pope Benedict arrived in Berlin- Tegel at 10.16 German time.

He has been guest at Schloss Bellevue where he was welcomed by President Christian Wulff.
The President welcomed him home - Willkommen zu Hause Heiliger Vater.

The following paragraph from ARD makes for interesting reading.

Wulff betonte, Kirche sei keine Parallelgesellschaft, sondern lebe mitten in der Gesellschaft. Deshalb stelle sich auch immer wieder die Frage: "Wie barmherzig geht sie mit den Brüchen in den Lebensgeschichten von Menschen um? Wie mit den Brüchen in ihrer eigenen Geschichte und mit dem Fehlverhalten von Amtsträgern?" Damit spielte er auf den Missbrauchsskandal in der katholischen Kirche an und auf die Situation wiederverheirateter Geschiedener, die ihn auch persönlich betrifft.

The Pope will address the Federal Parliament this afternoon. It will be the first time a pope hasa addressed the Bundestag.

The land of the free and the brave - but not for all

This morning at 01.00 Irish time Troy Davis was put to death by lethal injection in Atlanta in the US State of Georgia. The lethal oinjection njection was administered by officials of the State of Georgia.

There are 46.2 million US citizens living in poverty according to a census published two weeks ago.

Soldiers no longer need to lie about who they are

Don't Ask, Don't Tell - the US military's 18-year ban on openly gay and lesbian service personnel - has officially been repealed, ushering in a new era for the country's armed forces.

In a statement on Tuesday President Barack Obama welcomed the end of a policy that he said had forced gay and lesbian members to 'lie about who they are'.

While the US military or indeed any military could ever be considered at the vanguard of 'good practice', President Obama's comment is interesting.

Is what he said true? And if it is what can bishops, cardinals, provincials, archbishops, a pope think of these words?

A lot of talk about unqualified math teachers

The piece below appears in this week's IN&M regional newspapers published in Ireland

By Michael Commane
The schools are all back into full swing and the third level colleges are slowly cranking into action.

Leaving and Junior Cert results are history and it’s back to ‘normality’. At least for most people.

Four years ago I got a call asking me if I would fill in teaching German for a teacher out on maternity leave. It was great to be back in the classroom. When the teacher came back the principal kept me on teaching English and religion. It’s the job I like best and I managed to keep the job for four years.

My luck ran out at the beginning of this school year and due to all sorts of numbers, permutations and combinations I am no longer in the classroom.

I miss it and am sad about it. That’s life.

Because of my own teaching experience and link with the school system I have been listening closely to the current debate going on about the number of math teachers in our schools, who are not qualified to teach the subject.

That sort of a story is grist to the mill for the media. It’s really sensational. And naturally too. The idea that someone could be out there teaching math and not qualified for the job sounds completely daft. Imagine a non-qualified engineer building a bridge or a non-qualified doctor operating on someone. It doesn’t bear thinking.

But as you and I know, nothing is as simple as it looks.

I began full time teaching on the Department of Education payroll in 1980. Teaching with me, were two fellow Dominicans, who were teaching math and science. Two gifted teachers, who gave their students a love of their subject and also produced outstanding results.

One of these men had all the required qualifications and was a brilliant teacher.

The other man was the late John James O’Gorman, who had been a student at the North Monastery in Cork and had obtained a university scholarship on his Leaving Cert results. Instead of taking up the place at university, he joined the Dominicans and later did post-graduate work in theology. On the strength of his theology degree he did his Higher Diploma in Education in Maynooth and then went teaching math and religion.

He had a brilliant mind and his first love was always math and science. But his only qualification in the subject when he set out teaching was Honours Leaving Cert. He later went on to do a doctorate in computer science but during all the years he was teaching at second level he had no qualification for the specific subject of math.

He blazed a trail and between the two men every year there was a string of As in honours math. There were two streams doing the honours course. And close to two thirds of the students came away every year with an honour in math.

Of course John was some sort of exception. But when I hear these days all the emphasis placed on qualifications all I can do is think back to John O’Gorman. He was just a natural and because of all sorts of reasons not relevant here, he never got to study math at university before his post primary teaching.

After his stint at post primary teaching he went on to do a doctorate and spent the rest of his short life teaching computer science in the University of Limerick. And there too he excelled.

Not for a moment am I arguing that people should not be qualified for the task at hand. But, as in so many areas of life at present, maybe we are too quick to lock ourselves into straight jackets.

And that mentality can easily stymie initiative and imagination.

Indeed, there is a school of thought that teachers are born not made. There is something in that.

When it comes to doing an audit in our schools, hopefully those doing the examining will look at the broader picture.
And there sure is a broader picture. Nothing is ever as simple as we think it is. And if we think it is, then really, we don’t know what we are talking about.