Posts by Joe McDonald (Page 2)
There’s something happening out in Straffan !!
There’s something happening out in Straffan, or maybe more accurately in St. Brigid’s.As I am sure you are aware, we are in the happy position in our faith community, sometimes called a parish, that we have not one but two patron saints, and if that wasn’t remarkable enough, the two said patrons are also our two national patrons. Yes, we are doubly blessed in Brigid and Patrick. Yes there’s no doubt there’s something happening out in St Brigid’s in Straffan.…
Christmas Recipe
Well the mince pie season is in full swing and I am delighted, though I must confess I find the mince pie is getting more and more like the sausage: it is quite difficult to get a really good one. Actually come to think of it the sausage is worse. Unfortunately more often than not I am disappointed in the sausage. Too much fat, too much water, way too much salt, poor quality and sadly often pretty tasteless. That’s the…
Waiting !
On one of my first trips to the United States, I worked in a summer camp run by the Salesians. On our first day, Fr John and I asked the young people we were working with to queue up. They stared at us blankly. They had no clue what we were talking about. Soon we were to learn about the trunk of the car as opposed to the boot, that the lift is the escalator but on that given day…
The Deep Winter of Disbelief
Recently on a long flight I watched Dr Zhivago. It’s a long film but my goodness how rewarding. JulieChristie, Omar Sharif and all that snow….and what about the music? Not just Lara’s Theme, though thisblows me away, but the entire score. I was grateful that my fellow passengers seemed engrossed in theirown little world and hopefully remained unaware of the impact my trip into 1917 Russia was having on me.My heart soared and crashed as the music and evolving story…
THE IMPOSTER IN THE VATICAN
There I was trying to mind my own business enjoying the coffee and the customary treat, the caramel shortbread, not quite of the standard that my Mama used to make, but not bad at all, and it happened. Once again I had an encounter with someone who seemed compelled to tell me about their reservations about Pope Francis. This is now a pretty regular occurrence. Sometimes I see it coming, a furrowed brow, a slightly darkening countenance or a hushed…
Keeping an eye out
‘On Guard!!’ This was our cry as young boys, with our left arm bent, hand on hip, the other hand brandishing our sword as we acted out a fencing scene from The Mark of Zorro or another swashbuckling epic. These sword fights were fast and furious and often ended in one or other of us being ‘run through’. Personally, more than actually executing my opponent, I enjoyed flicking his sword out of his hand and hear it clatter to the…
Of Spooks and Ghouls and the Holy Ghost!
It seems this year more than ever Halloween has really taken off! I don’t think I ever saw such an array of scary masks and even houses decked out with witches, skeletons and lanterns. I was reminded of Halloween at home. I remember my Mum scooping out the insides of the turnip and the little butts of candles placed in them. I remember my Dad fixing the spinning wheels to our front railing, spinning the sparklers in my tiny hand,…
The God I don’t Believe In
NO I SHALL NEVER BELIEVE IN : the God who sneaks up on us to catch us out the God who enjoys, or sends pain the God who is a spoilsport, or a killjoy the God who sends sickness the God who wants us to live in fear the God who is like Harry Potter waving a wand at whim the God who wants us to always be formal with him the God who we can only find by chance…