As parish after parish warns of imminent closures, collective apostasy and dwindling resources, some are taking it upon themselves to make sure that that day comes as soon as possible.

Images of country singer Nathan Carter are evidence of this.

For months, the parish of Aghalurcher had advertised the concert to take place in Holy Cross Church Lisnaskea.

Such concerts, especially Christmas ones, are not entirely unusual nor necessarily disrespectful, but the images coming out of Carter's gig suggest that this should have been handled better.

The band are clearly performing on the altar, with the drums positioned in front of the tabernacle.

This issue here is not necessarily Carter himself, but the overall impression that the Irish Catholic Church is going the way of the Church of England, which now finds increasingly degrading and profane ways to keep the bills paid by pimping out their sacred spaces.

If the Irish church wants to survive into the coming century it should take the serious things, such as our sacred spaces, a little more seriously.