A Tale of Two Olivers

 

Summer Calm in Horseshoe Bay.

     Here in Sherkin Island, we are enjoying fabulous weather of a kind normally associated with more southern climes, while on a similar latitude in Canada 'The devastating “heat dome” has caused temperatures to rise to almost 50C  and has been linked to hundreds of deaths, melted power lines, buckled roads and wildfires.' One cannot but reflect how confusing, unfair and deceptive the reality around us is. Where can one look to try to make some sense of it all? Catholic Christians such as myself reflect on Scripture and the ongoing salvation history, the story of saints and martyrs who have handed on the Faith.

    Today is the feastday of Saint Oliver Plunkett, Primate of Ireland whose life's work was to overcome the devastation wrought in Ireland by Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans, and the last of the Catholic Martyrs to be hanged, drawn and quartered, in London in the year 1681. Meanwhile I read on the RTE website how our current Primate, Archbishop Eamon Martin, is protesting the sudden reversal of Government advice that First Communions and Confirmations were to go ahead. Apparently they are not formally 'banned', the Government merely advises 'that they should not take place at this time'. Meanwhile the article in RTE twice refers to the Archbishop as 'Mr Martin', as if to reinforce his complaint that the 'the manner of communication in this case was grossly disrespectful.... A journalist's tweet and the Tanaiste dismissively saying oh they're off - that was how we were told about the change in direction.'

    Back in the 17th century, those following 'the way of the world' would have been widely imagined burning in Hell. Is it a mere coincidence that humanity currently appears likely to burn on an overheated planet? Is it totally out of order to associate the possibility of life actually surviving and going on to thrive with the idea of 'everlasting life'?

    We can confidently identify a few of the conditions that might enable us to do so. Both a new sense of purpose and of community are evidently required, leading to a new sense of responsibility and willingness to sacrifice our immediate interests and indeed our very selves. These happen to be the very qualities that the rituals of First Communion and Confirmation are intended to promote. Whether the devastation we suffer be caused by Cromwell or Covid, in such basic respects our response needs to be the same. Hence the Government advice in this respect has to be rejected.

    Scientists work in narrow areas of specialisation; it is not appropriate for their figures, inevitably highly selective, to be the basis of political action; indeed the very nature of the authority that bases itself on such figures, one of command and control however much they try to pretend otherwise, is to be firmly rejected by any freedom-loving people. What's more, the O'Grady says do this approach, do that ..., whereby one is trained to immediately respond to the sargeant-major's orders while filtering out other influences, is a classic command and control technique.

     The Irish sense of community, it has to be said, is propagated by another institution altogether besides the Church. I refer of course to our Pubs. Who could have imagined that these twin pillars of rural Irish life could come under such sustained attack, together? And that the Irish mainstream media should be so complicit? Everyday we are treated to the figures of those who have died from Covid, at the top of the news. Where are the figures for all the other victims of this situation?

    So we suddenly find ourselves in a totalitarian society. We are not to be allowed to worship, to travel or even to go into a pub without a party card. It would appear to be only a matter of time before those like myself who insist that the way forward does not lie by way of universal vaccination find ourselve in re-education camps!

    I have already written a good deal about vaccinations in this blog, and will not repeat myself here; however I want make it clear that I am not anti-science. Scientists must be listened to, but so must everyone else. The way our Government is carrying on is not the way to achieve a respectful ear for their advice. Covid is a nasty disease, nobody wants to get it and if advice is sensible and coherent, it is likely to be listened to. It needs to be holistic and consistent, in tune with the other even nastier threats to our freedom and our future. That other Oliver, Cromwell, must not at this stage have the last word!