The beginning of the fall of the Catholic Church in Ireland (via @IrishTimes) https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/the-beginning-of-the-fall-of-the-catholic-church-in-ireland-1.4871562
Its hard to believe the power they had over the state up to very recent years. NMH lands is still a debate, but I'm glad people can chose to follow religion (if they wish).
No doubt the faithful aren’t exactly wailing in the pews at the loss..
Rest assured, I've not spent much time in Catholic Churches in Ireland or elsewhere, nor do I expect my attendance to go up at all.
A Goth confirmation dress...? Excellent idea!
You’re pretty out of touch with how confirmations are conducted these days, aren’t you?
Girls don’t wear dresses, wedding-like, goth-like, or whatever. Instead, they wear their school uniforms. I believe that’s the same policy for young boys being confirmed.
The bishop delivered an interesting sermon related to his experiences trekking the Camino to Santiago. Even you might have been mildly entertained!
But, what if they were given the choice? I didn't ask, "Did your daughter refuse and you forced her." I wanted to know if she was given a choice not to attend. I also know the answer in advance😉. This is the RCC. Women are 2d class by design and thousands of years of implementation.
Plus, the little white fake-o wedding dresses; could they go as the character from Frozen? Or as goths? Yinno, more 11 year old girls going as goths to their confirmations might be a big improvement.
I think it's more a case of reduce the influence religion has and put agnotic/athiest parents and teachers on the same level as religious ones when it cames to education.
Asking about someone's religion (or even hinting at it) should be banned when hiring teachers or admitting kids to schools (and that's not "hating" or "church-bashing" just in case the point needs to be clarified)
If you missed out on a big promotion at work because the other candidate was catholic or athiest, I'd imagine you'd be pissed off.
11-12 year old girls are not known for their going-against-the-flow independence spirit.
so... where is this going? you are saying f**k religion basically. Which fair enough and I am saying it won't change jack if it all went poof & gone tomorrow.
So what are you saying? and how is what I am saying a cop out? do you honestly think the world will be this amazing place without religion? it'll be the same mate. Don't kid yourself. Instead of some guy killing in the name of god it will be for some other reason. Never heard of the more things change the more they stay the same? we're talking about people here.
Actually, they are terrific parents to all three of their children.
Like I said to the the other poster, they asked the 11 year old if she wanted to be confirmed. She was flabbergasted that her parents even asked and was thrilled to proceed, along with almost all of her classmates. They are of the mindset that if she opts out of religion later in her teens, that’s her decision. She may decide to return to the faith later in life.
There was no coercion here, nor were any appalling attitudes or deficient parenting in play. I wish that every child in this country could have the happy, contented upbringing that their children are fortunately experiencing.
That's a complete cop-out tbh.
Religion (exactly like fascism) tells people that some other group of people are at best not as good as us, at worst they're damned to hell, and they should be segregated (e.g. we "need" schools or even hospitals just for people who are the same religion as us) lest they contaminate us, or sure why not go the whole hog and just murder them. Plenty of scriptures from all sorts of religions justifying or even urging the murder of people not on the basis of any wrongdoing but on the basis of having different beliefs.
They were of the opinion that now that their daughters are confirmed, they are free to choose whether they continue attending into their teens or not. Seems like a pretty healthy attitude to me.
Seems like an appalling attitude to me. Why not let the children decide themselves in their teens whether to be confirmed or not. The parent has forcefully opted them in, and now says the child can opt out if they wish.
It was my niece making her confirmation. My brother and sister in law asked her if she wanted to be confirmed. She was thrilled to move forward.
It wasn’t my daughter, my niece had a choice, and it was a wonderful day for our entire family. Happy, joyful, and life-affirming.
Sorry what was that? All I read was hrmpmurphhurph. Almost like your head is up something it shouldn't be.
I'll give you a clue.... its not your own arse lol.
Does your daughter feel the same? Did she have a choice to skip confirmation? A milestone for you perhaps.
People are c*nts. That's the sad reality of the world. If religion went away tomorrow people will still be c*nts. So instead of any religious reason there'd be another reason.
That's my point. Stopping religion won't change anything.
It's undeniably a step up from "tradition", "society is going to hell in a handcart", "you wouldn't want the kids to miss out" etc. etc. which is basically all we've had in response so far. At least you haven't told me I'm going to hell yet, but apparently because I left Catholicism I'm on the fringes of society or something, whatever that is supposed to mean 🙄
Intellectual? Good Lord! (pardon the pun)😂
I know now why you don't like the long intellectual posts 🤣
I pity the fool 😉
Correct. I’m not religious. However, my wife is semi-religious and would go to mass quite often. I have no idea if any of my two kids, plus the third on the way, will be religious or not. My wife wants them raised catholic and I have no issue with that, despite my own lack of faith.
How is it a milestone? I can only relate my own personal experience. My mother died last Autumn after a long and horrific battle with cognitive decline. Throughout that time, the church and his faith provided solace to my dad. The clergy were also incredibly respectful to my family at my mother’s funeral.
As I sat in that church yesterday, I reflected on my late mother. Specifically, how happy she would be knowing that her eldest grandchild was taking one of sacraments and participating in and perpetuating the religion that was an important part of her life.
I also contemplated how happy it would make her knowing that my brother, sister and I all have young children who will soon be making their communions and also entering into the faith. She would ecstatic to see her children settled, happy, doing well in life, and her grandchildren being brought up in a belief system that was meaningful to her. I also know that she would dearly love the same for my two youngest sisters, still in their 20s.
Whilst I don’t personally really believe, I don’t loathe organized region or the Catholic Church. I used the time to reflect on my mother’s passing, the enormous influence she had in setting us up to lead happy and productive lives, and how watching my niece bring confirmed would bring tremendous joy. I also know how eagerly she would anticipate the future communions of my children and nieces and nephews. For me, it was a vicarious milestone, that brought me closer to my late mother, knowing the joy that her family and her faith brought to her life.
Sure somebody, somewhere is doing a good deed right now to another human being because of their religious beliefs.
And you can be sure many more are being a complete c*nt to another human being and using religion to justify their behaviour.
It has often been difficult to be a Catholic in Ireland, that’s why our forefathers needed mass rocks. But if you have God in ur life you can endure the kind of hatred being voiced here.
In fairness, you’re spot on there. It’s hilarious really.
As someone who only dips in and out of Boards to see what’s being argued about today, and as someone who works in a public service and public facing role, I just wanted to chime in here and point out that this thread is clearly full of people living on the fringes of society with very little connection to the real lives of the vast majority of ordinary families in Ireland today.
Anyone who would look at a family enjoying themselves on a Communion or Confirmation day, all dressed up in the Spring sunshine, and think to themselves that it really is unfortunate, and wish that it weren’t so, and shake their heads sadly while bemoaning the stupidity and the herd mentality, is really to be pitied and shows a shocking lack of common sense.
That is all.
Ok Princess. That’s your perspective. I’ll leave it at that.
I think people are adopting the line of least resistance, if it's too much like hard work, then, meh. They'll just slide into being cultural catholics/a la carte catholics.
Years ago, in rural areas, stations in your house were a big thing. Nowadays people just aren't bothered cleaning a house from top to bottom, laying out food and having a priest around and entertaining neighbours. Too much effort for no reward.
Pilgrimages, people still go on them but for reasons other than saving their soul.
Turn up at Mass for Xmas and Easter, have a sunday lie-in the rest of the year.
Have the kids go through the motions to please the grandparents and so they don't feel 'left out' of the rest of the class. Have a party, obligatory bouncy castle for kids and a booze up for the adults because that's what it's all about, right?
Jaysus what an arselicking post. Lol.
Fair enough you agree with their comments. That's fine. But we are in luck to have such an intellectual on boards? Why don't you just blow them lol.
Seriously, is this the same person behind two accounts?
To be fair, Nozzferahhtoo's posts are brilliant. We are lucky to have such an intellectual on Boards. If you can't address the post, it's not his/her fault.
If one needs paragraphs upon paragraphs to state their opinion on a forum, then we are into the realm of extremely opinionated or waffle.
As I say this is a forum not a blog. But you do you.
I do think we will replace the Catholic occasions with other family celebrations for kids that are not built on so much 'fakery'. Perhaps a graduation from primary school or a special birthday that is much earlier than the usual 18th/21st. I have great hope for the young people growing up today. I think they will see through the nonsense and ask the tough questions without the usual Catholic 'baggage'. Most teens do not believe in God and must look back and wonder why their parents went through with all the charades especially within an organisation that treated children so badly for decades.
Genuine question here. For people who are not religious (and it sounds like you are not and your daughter is not), in what way is it a 'milestone'?
I get that it can be a lovely day out, and it can act as a catalyst and bring families together and become a positive, affirming event in its own right.
But I don't see how it's a milestone for those who are not religious.
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