Words are hard to find.
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/ireland/protestors-throw-eggs-and-cheese-at-harney-481576.html
This vandalism and shocking waste are presumably because we, the poorer ones of Ireland, have been offered free cheese this winter.
A strange reaction indeed.
This is "intervention" produce; good Irish cheddar. Such things have been available often. A few years ago it was large tins of excellent corned beef which was very welcome indeed to us and to many.
If you google free cheese Ireland.....
People seemingly are used to "better" fare?
Yes, times are hard for many; but in many cases it is that a very high standard of living has been adopted and folk have massive debts now. As one man said, because there are five cars in the drive of a house, it does not mean that five cars have been paid for.
Presumably the protest is because we are not being given????
But to waste good food like this? It impresses no one.
And this household are glad of any free food that comes our way.. along with the other help we can gain; a weekly solid fuel allowance is available to pensioners, and help with electricity and phone costs.
Maybe we see things differently because we work with the truly destitute? Not a roof over their heads in this bitter weather.. inadequate clothes.
So we are deeply aware of how much we do have.
And recycle constantly to be able to give more.
But of course these are very unpopular views in Ireland and best kept to ourselves.
A lesson learned from hard experience.
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And a second headline catches the eye....
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/ireland/priest-gets-suspended-sentence-for-sexual-offences-with-teenager-481582.html
The sentence is derisory and will add to the suffering. A pity-party for a "priest" who did this to a small boy?
And does this help?
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/ireland/archbishop-apologises-to-child-abuse-victim-481596.html
Many say to us.. oh all that was forty years ago.. why cannot they just walk on now?
The Jesuits have a saying, or, rather a policy.
"Give me a child for seven years and I will give you the man."
Because they knew rightly that the early years of the life of a child form that person.
Many of the abused know that in a terrible way.
Their early years were shaped by appalling abuse from men and women in long black robes who wore the Cross of Jesus and claimed to be of Him. Who were the elite and held power over body and, they said, soul.
So this boy?
One man we spoke with was put in such an institution when he was a year old; the only thing he is grateful for is that it was the "nomercies" and not the "christian buggers" running it as he knew that they were even worse.
He is brittle and tense in his later years; there is no recovery for these damaged ones.
These men and women cannot just "forgive and forget." That quality and ability has to be taught and learned and lived by those who have the care of the child. Love and gentelness, kindness and the simplest of material needs are taught in the giving of them.
And this was not done; their most basic needs were opposed and downtrodden. All they knew as tiny children was abuse. All they experienced at the hands of the Church was terror and shame.
So when people say, oh there is time when you have to close the door on the past, we try to explain. Often this is after an attack on us because we wear the habit, so we are in an optimum position to say these things.
And there are so many damaged and wounded ones, whole families who have inherited the wrongs and appalling sins inflicted by the representatives of Holy Mother Church.
And it is rare that we can help, such is the damage and such is the anger. Some battles we are meant to fight and some we walk away from because our visible presence exacerbates the problems.
And we will not be made scapegoats and whipping posts. For we have tiny lives to protect.
So we move from market to market now; and thankfully our craft work is being welcomed at different venues now as we become known. God is good to us.
Pray for all the damaged and abused, as we do.. wanderers in a darkness created by those who profess to have Light. Prayer has power where nothing else does.
And be patient.
Blessings and peace this winter day...
