Ireland's Politics has Turned on the Catholic Hierarchy


It seems like most places where Christianity is losing ground, things move along slowly. The numbers fall a little each year. Some Christian taboos, but not all, tipped over. Ireland seems like the exception. A few years ago, there was a nation-wide vote to made abortions available. From what one reads in the press, the defeats of the faith, including ridicule, continues.

To preface current Irish events, we need to revisit a topic discussed almost continually for the past few decades. It is about forcing abortion into government and into the politics that ultimately run governments. I can't recall how many times in conversations among my liberal friends someone pointing out that, "If government can stop abortions, government can require abortions. Anti-abortion would be smart to leave politics and government out of its efforts."

Ireland is a good example. For decades, abortions were outlawed in Ireland. The Catholic hierarchy called the shots about abortion. It inserted the faith into government whenever it could.

Now the tables have turned. It's popular in Irish politics, and apparently in the national government itself, to make jabs at the Catholic hierarchy. 

In ancient life of Ireland, the times of Gaelic myths and story telling, there was a goddess named Brigid. I don't know the details of the story but goddess Brigid was the first woman to have an abortion. Goddess Brigid was highly regarded in Gaelic folklore.

Later, along came the Catholics. I can't tell you the origin of their Saint, also named Brigid, but she was so big in their story a special day was named in her honor. Yes, Saint Brigid Day. The news from Ireland today is that some branch of government declared that "Saint Brigid Day" was established to laud Goddess Brigid rather than the Catholic Brigid, the Saint. The link, written by a Catholic, reflects the Catholic anger from this snub.  

Maybe a compromise would be to rename the national day from "Saint Brigid Day" to something that honors both. Perhaps. "Saint Brigid and Abortion Brigid Day." Just a suggestion. 

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