Maman Poulet

Dan McLaughlin, Chief Economist of the Bank of Ireland, released a statement today saying that his comments made on Questions and Answers on Monday night were made in a personal capacity and he should have indicated this before making them. I can't find it online yet but it was read out on Liveline earlier today.

You can watch Dan's comments here. He supported Irish Ferries actions in outsourcing workers and said that it was the result of a capitalist economy, its the way of the world. The neo-liberalism was chilling and it seems that many in the Irish Public are starting to reject it taking hold. I doubt you would find many politicians willing to make similar comments and maybe that is the role of the pundit. But the economist pundits better watchout on the impact on those who pay their wages.

Yesterday following the comments, some customers went to the bank and cancelled their accounts. Would today's apologies have anything to do with this?

As I said earlier in the week this strike is about money and profit for Irish Ferries and as Patricia King from SIPTU said on the programme it is now about a 'threshold of decency below which we won't go.'

Eamon Delaney who also appeared on the show has not escaped comment. Christy Moore called him a pup on Today with Pat Kenny this morning. And he made comments about human rights, exploitation and union breaking and has re-introduced Connolly was there to his repetoire. (You can hear him sing it on Today with PK). (Delaney's comments on George Best will have another post from me when George is laid to rest, which is something Delaney could have thought about.)

Whatever about the Celtic Tiger and making money and buying houses and 2 holidays a year etc. I don't believe the majority of Irish people support the exploitation of Eastern European workers. Or the sacking of Irish workers and replacing them with what amounts to slave labour. This is not about the death of the Trade Union movement as many on the right would have us believe, its now about human rights, the money in peoples pockets and the precedent which is being set. Wages of €3.60 or even minimum wages will not pay the mortgages or the holidays or the education costs of Irish based workers.

There are reasons why I posted the text of the Vatican document on the criteria of vocational discernment regarding persons with homosexual tendencies on the blog.

I have not completely lost the plot and will expand on them later following several decades of the rosary and reciting the angelus. (ok I am off to make the dinner)

Like a few other queers I know where I was when I first heard the words used in the letter of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith authored by Cardinal Ratzinger to Bishops in the US in 1992. Entitled 'Some Considerations Concerning the Response to Legislative Proposals on Nondiscrimination of Homosexual Persons,' it said that

But the contents that further hurt many people were the words 'morally disordered' and 'intrinsically evil' when referring to homosexuals.

13 years on, the document published today after many months of leaking is more carefully written. But its clear that its still couched in hatred and homophobia.

That last sentence is most telling, nowhere in the document will you find mention of children or paedophilia. It is clear that the document feels that gay priests or priests with deep seated tendencies are not able to relate to other humans in the proper manner whatever that might be.

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has said on several occasions recently that this document and general church policy is egalitarian, active heterosexuals are also precluded from ordination. But this document does not talk about them. Heterosexual priests are not banned from ordination, how deep seated will the heterosexuality be before one is banned from ordination? Indeed in many parts of South America one cannot be a priest or respected by your parish if you are not an active heterosexual! It's a case if you haven't walked the walk, you can't talk the talk.

I'm off to mark my right to treatment involving 'delicacy' and give my partner a cuddle. It's all too easy to ignore the document and dismiss it. We need to name the hate and continue to call it like we see it and that includes blogging about it and not just mentioning the local bishops reaction as they are mere minions in Benny's plans for the future.

Vatican document on homosexuals and seminaries-- full text

Nov. 27 (CWNews.com) - The following is an unofficial translation by CWN of the full Vatican document.

Congregation for Catholic Education

Instruction concerning the criteria of vocational discernment regarding persons with homosexual tendencies, considering their admission to seminary and to Holy Orders

Introduction

Following the teaching of Vatican II and, in particular, the decree Optatam Totius on priestly formation, the Congregation for Catholic Education has published different documents to promote an adequate formation integral of future priests, offering guidance and precise norms regarding their several aspects. In the meantime also the Synod of Bishops in 1999 reflected on the formation of priests in the present circumstances, with the intent to bring to fulfillment the conciliar doctrine on the subject and to render it more explicit and incisive in the contemporary world. Following this Synod, John Paul II published the post-Synodic apostolic exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis.

In light of this rich teaching, the present Instruction does not intend to linger on all the questions by nature emotional or sexual that require careful discernment throughout the whole period of the formation. It contains norms regarding a particular question, made more urgent by the present situation, that is that of the admission or non-admission to the seminary and Holy Orders of candidates who have profoundly deep-rooted homosexual tendencies.

I. Emotional maturity and spiritual fatherhood

According to the constant Tradition of the Church, baptized males alone may validly receive Holy Orders. By means of the sacrament of Orders, the Holy Spirit configures the candidate, to a new and specific role, Jesus Christ: the priest, in fact, sacramentally represents Christ, Head, Shepherd, and Bridegroom of the Church. Because of this configuration to Christ, the entire life of the holy priest must be animated by the gift of his whole person to the Church and with an authentic pastoral love.

The candidate for ordained ministry, therefore, must reach emotional maturity. That maturity renders him able to put himself in the proper relation with men and women, developing in him a true sense of spiritual fatherhood toward the ecclesial community entrusted to him.

II. Homosexuality and ordained ministry


From Vatican II until today, several documents of the Magisterium—and especially the Catechism of the Catholic Church— have confirmed the teaching of the Church on homosexuality. The Catechism differentiates between homosexual acts and homosexual tendencies.

Regarding acts, it teaches that, in Sacred Scripture, these are presented as grave sins. Tradition has constantly considered them to be intrinsically immoral and contrary to natural law. These, consequently, may not be approved in any case.

Concerning profoundly deep-rooted homosexual tendencies, that one discovers in a certain number of men and women, these are also objectively disordered and often constitute a trial, even for these men and women. These people must be received with respect and delicacy; one will avoid every mark of unjust discrimination with respect to them. These are called to realize the will of God in their lives and to unite to the Sacrifice of the Lord the difficulties that they may encounter.

In light of this teaching, this department, in agreement with the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, holds it necessary clearly to affirm that the Church, while profoundly respecting the persons in question, may not admit to the seminary and Holy Orders those who practice homosexuality, show profoundly deep-rooted homosexual tendencies, or support the so-called gay culture.

The above persons find themselves, in fact, in a situation that gravely obstructs a right way of relating with men and women. The negative consequences that may derive from the Ordination of persons with profoundly deep-rooted homosexual tendencies are by no means to by ignored.

If, however, one is dealing with homosexual tendencies that may be simply the expression of a transitory problem, such as for example an adolescence not yet complete, such tendencies must be overcome at least three years before ordination to the diaconate.

III. Discernment of qualification of the candidates on the part of the Church

There are two indissociable aspects in every priestly vocation: the free gift of God and the responsible liberty of the man. Vocation is a gift of divine grace, received through the Church, in the Church and for the service of the Church. Responding to the call of God, the man offers himself freely to Him in love. The desire alone to become a priest is not sufficient and there is no right to receive Ordination. It is the duty of the Church— in Her responsibility to define the necessary requisites for the reception of the Sacraments instituted by Christ— to discern the qualification of he who wishes to enter the seminary, to accompany him during his years of formation and to call him to Holy Orders, if he be judged to be in possession of the requisite qualities.

The formation of future priests must articulate, in an essential complimentarity, the four dimensions of formation: human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral. In this context, it is necessary to reveal the particular importance of the human formation, the necessary foundation of all formation.

To admit a candidate to the ordination to the diaconate, the Church must
verify, among others, that he have reached emotional maturity of a candidate for the priesthood.

The call to Orders is the personal responsibility of the Bishop or the major superior. Holding present the opinion of those to whom the responsibility of the formation is entrusted, the bishop or the major superior, before admitting a candidate to ordination, must reach a morally certain judgment on their quality. In the case of a serious doubt in this respect, they must not admit him to ordination.

The discernment of the vocation and the maturity of the candidate is also a grave duty of the rector and the other teachers of the seminary. Before every ordination, the rector must express his judgment on the quality of the candidate required by the Church.

In the discernment of qualification for Ordination, there is a grave duty for the spiritual director. While being bound by secrecy, he represents the Church in the internal forum. In meetings with the candidate, the spiritual director must especially remember the demands of the Church regarding priestly celibacy and the emotional maturity specific of a priest, as well as help him to discern if he has the necessary qualities. He has the obligation to assess all the qualities of the personality and to ascertain that the candidate does not present sexual troubles incompatible with the priesthood. If a candidate practices homosexuality or present profoundly deep-rooted homosexual tendencies, his spiritual director, like his confessor, must dissuade him, in conscience, from proceeding towards Ordination.

It remains understood that the candidate himself has the first responsibility for his own formation. He must offer himself with faith to the discernment of the Church, the bishop who calls to Orders, the rector of the seminary, the spiritual director, and the other teachers of the seminary to whom the bishop or the superior general has entrusted the duty of forming future priests. It would be gravely dishonest if a candidate were to hide his own homosexuality to enter, notwithstanding everything, to Ordination. An attitude so inauthentic does not correspond to the spirit of truth, allegiance, and availability that must characterize the personality of he who believes to be called to serve Christ and His Church in the priestly ministry.

Conclusion

This Congregation confirms the necessity that the bishops, the superior generals, and all the responsible involved fulfill a painstaking discernment regarding the qualification of candidates for Holy Orders, from the admission to the seminary until Ordination. This discernment must be done in light of a conception of the ministerial priesthood in concordance with the teaching of the Church.

The Bishops, the Episcopal Conferences, and the Superior Generals must be vigilant that the norms of this Instruction be observed faithfully for the good of the candidates themselves and always to guarantee to the Church suitable priests, true pastors according to the Heart of Christ.

The Sovereign Pontiff Benedict XVI, August 31 2005, approved this Instruction and ordered its publication.

Rome, November 4, 2005, Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, Patron of Seminaries
- Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, Prefect
- Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB; Secretary

The situation at Irish Ferries continues and this weekend took an even more bizarre twist following the placing of security men on board two ships which were docked in the UK. The ships officers are locked into the control rooms in protest against the move having originally thought that there was a terroist attack taking place.

Claims and counter claims abound about whether the security men are armed with tear gas were made in Irish Media outlets this weekend. In fact, Ah has a good piece about the saga to date.

One of the most interesting pieces of Irish radio in many a year took place on Saturday. The Group Industrial Correspondent of the Irish independent, Gerald Flynn, got into his car, drove to RTE's studios in Montrose and ran to the studio to stand over a story he had written on the presence of tear gas amongst the weapons on hand to the Security guards. You can listen to the programme here.

On Sunday, Flynn wrote again about (registration required) the fact he was standing ver his story. Today RTE reported that Flynn is taking a break from reporting on the story. Irish Ferries are threatening legal action.

The dispute is having a severe impact on exports and imports, however the other ferry companies are growing more angry at the strategy of Irish Ferries to make Irish waged workers redundant and replace them with contract poorly paid Eastern European workers. Stena and Norse Merchant both fly UK flags and pay wages at the appropriate rates and say they have no intention to follow Irish Ferries lead.

An Irish ship flying the Irish flag (for now) sailing on European Union waters between two European Union member states is not bound by EU law or the minimum wage law of either member state. The maritime laws are as old as the hills and nothing can be done to change them.

This dispute may break the partnership agreement which has lead to Ireland's economic success (well so has Charles J Haughey, EU membership, and many other things depending on who you listen to). The Taoiseach makes noises of discontent at the tactics of management but says he is powerless to do anything else. What happened to super Bertie, the firebrigade negotiator of many a strike in the 1980's.

Sociologists will point to the impact of globalisation and this being a prime example. George Ritzer recently spoke in Dublin on outsourcing and Irish Ferries is busy trying to outsource, increase profit and it does not care how it looks it seems from the incidents in the dispute to date. The privatisation of so many industries in Ireland and Ireland's small place in the 'global economy' brings many unpleasant realities for Irish workers. This is globalisation with extra chilli on top given that instead of factories being moved to Eastern Europe or other locations, workers are being moved to a locale in or near Ireland and being paid Eastern European rates.

I don't know how many Irish waged workers (new phrase this - don't know how much I like it!) will express solidarity with Irish Ferries staff and given that we cannot see the workers barricaded into the control room on the ship it will be harder still for them to tell their story. However they seem to have mobile phones, food and power as some of the officers are on the radio from time to time.

I missed Dunphy on Keane on RTE on Wednesday. I thought that it might appear on a blog somewhere and thanks to Infact, ah! we have all 13 minutes of Dunphy in full flight on one of his favourite subjects and the preceeding goading by Brady and Bill O'Herlihy. Thanks lads. You trying out for Ireland's version of Crooks and Liars? We have general elections, leadership heaves, football managers spats, the possibilites are endless.

Today’s lunch to raise funds for the KAL Case and KAL Advocacy Initiative was a very impressive affair. You can read more about the KAL Case and initiative here. A full house in Fire with a veritable who’s who in terms of lgbt glitterati and numerous others. Our table was made up from women from Sapphic Ireland who had clubbed together to buy seats and donate money and also support other women who could not afford the €100 a plate.

It was a very different take on being queer in Ireland. I fully support the KAL initiative, especially the advocacy campaign that is planned to accompany the legal challenge being initiated by Katherine Zappone and Ann Louise Gilligan. However there were times at the lunch today where I wondered where many of the lunchers were during previous struggles, the Fine Gaelers, the PD’s, and other well off and powerful straight individuals in Irish society.

There is no doubt that Katherine and Ann Louise are a deeply committed and compassionate couple who are well known and highly regarded for their work in human rights, public policy, theology and community development. I would hope that commitment to supporting the campaign from supportive and well connected straight people will be more that financial.

We need more heterosexual allies to speak out and take on the issue of discrimination against lesbian and gay people in Ireland and lesbian and gay relationships. Many of us have walked the walk on divorce, abortion, and so many other issues. I’m not quite saying its payback time, but if hearts and minds and laws and human rights are to change it can’t be queers alone calling for change. This is about so much more than putting your hand in your pocket or going to the drinklink or the chequebook which I think is one of the reasons behind launching KAL in the first place.

The other point of note today were the number of lesbians in the room. Very successful, talented women who are seen at numerous gatherings and social events and operate in many levels and strata of Irish society. Very visible, intelligent and connected women. Pity some of the men have not seen that in terms of developing lgb leadership and maybe in the 21st century there will be less tokenism and more equality in lgb community development and public policy visibility in Ireland.

Roll on the next fundraising event for the KAL Advocacy Initiative in the new year which will be a more accessible and possibly more entertaining monster pub quiz!

Richard Delevan has an excellent analysis on Bertie Ahern's response (Irish Independent - registration required) to Liz O'Donnell's comments. Delevan concentrates on what should make one feel 'disappointment' and he wrote the piece before Bertie's press office clarified that the word 'betrayal' was in the notes and not spoken by Bertie. (not that it makes it any different anyway - Bertie's defence of the church does not judge the mood of the nation well at all.)

Delevan also looks at the disentanglement of Church and State and some other issues from the Ferns report which have not received the coverage they should have in recent weeks.

The 'we didn't know at the time' brigade have been out in force despite the fact that the Ferns report highlighted insurance policies that were taken out by Diocese's to protect them against claims of abuse. The debate about who runs schools in Ireland and who owns them will no doubt include many who say the lay people now run schools. The future of who runs Irish education is as much about the souls of the children as it is about the ownership of the buildings and the land they are built on.

I know that not much happens in Irish Catholic Schools without the imprimatur of the Bishop or the local Parish Priest. In the last 10 years my presence in some catholic and multi-denominational schools has led to