Tony Flannery

It is now two weeks since my sister Geraldine Flannery succumbed to the debilitating effects of a long standing heart condition, and died quietly and apparently easily. I don’t know if this is the case for others in relation to family members, but for me I tended to take Geraldine a bit for granted. We were close, and we shared a lot in the course of our lives, especially in the latter years, but closeness can prevent one from fully appreciating the special qualities of a person.

The Bishops, the Government and the Sacraments

I was quite surprised, indeed taken aback, when bishops first announced that they were going to ignore medical and governmental directives, and begin to celebrate the sacraments of First Communion and Confirmation. 

The fact that among the early ones out of the traps were Elphin, Waterford and Meath made it a little less surprising. They would typically be the ones on the more conservative end of the hierarchy, and, especially with Elphin and Waterford, with a tendency to go it alone.

Who would want to be a Bishop?

Indeed, who would want to be a bishop? The grapevine suggests that many are refusing the request, and that is no surprise. The experience of the latest recruit to the ranks, even in his first week, would give anyone food for thought, and caution about saying yes.

I knew Ger Nash well in the days when I was allowed to minister, (before the women’s issue in the Catholic Church undid me)  and always both liked him, and was impressed by him, his commitment, his work rate, and his care for people.