Ireland's recent Synod Synthesis Report made a point of attacking only one group in all of Irish society for their characteristics and behaviours.
Was it drug dealers? Human traffickers? Abortionists? No, it was young priests who were seen as being ‘too conservative’.
The published comments were eerily similar to a recently resurfaced rant from a radical cleric heavily involved with the Fine Gael linked Association of Catholic Priests. Fr. Brendan Hoban, who is also influential in the Irish Synod, caused shock around the world by saying that he ‘despaired’ of young priests and appeared to suggest that they were worse than no priests at all.
Now, footage has emerged of another Irish priest engaging in bizarre behaviour, this time by uttering a completely inappropriate improvised Consecration during the Mass.
In a piece of audio uploaded by Irish YouTube account Decrevi Determined to be Catholic, Father Roy Donovan can be heard to claim that Jesus had lifted the ‘Liam McCarthy Cup’ during the Consecration.
The Liam McCarthy Cup for those who do not know is the name of the All Ireland trophy for Hurling. The equivalent would be if an American priest said an offering through the Super Bowl, or an Italian through the Grand Prix Driver Championship or an Australian with the Ashes Cup… and so on.
At some point, the Irish church will have to start taking the liturgy seriously, it will have to start listening to those who want to take theology seriously and it will have to enthrust it to the same young priests that are currently being viscerated by those who are hijacking the Synod for their own purposes.