TARA Mills is a presenter on BBC Radio Ulster’s ‘Good Morning Ulster’ (so good they named it twice) and this morning she suggested to her colleague Gareth Gordon that an awful lot of people would be shocked. Gareth agreed. The news they both figured people would rock a lot of people back on their heels was that the Orange Order is considering whether to sanction or even expel UUP leader Tom Elliott and Deputy Leader Danny Kennedy, because they attended the funeral Mass of Catholic police officer Ronan Kerr.
Wrong, Tara. Wrong, Gareth. Nobody’s shocked. Can there be anybody in our dear statelet who doesn’t know that the Orange Order has eye-crossingly negative views about the Mass? ‘An act of Popish idolatry’ pretty much sums it up, which Orangemen must not attend or even countenance, whatever that means. They’ve also got strong views on Catholics, or people who marry Catholics, or people who have parents Catholics, or …you get the idea. If there’s shock involved, it’s that the two UUP men managed to screw their courage to cross the chapel threshold, not that they might be penalized by the Orange Order for so doing. And whether they’d have attended such a funeral Mass if Ronan Kerr hadn’t been a policeman – say if he’d been an ordinary Catholic from Derry or Belfast or Newry - we can only guess. Want my guess? Not a chance.
But let’s be charitable about these anti-Catholic stances and blame the thinking behind it on the Reformation. Maybe that’s where this “Come ye out from amongst them” line originated. The conviction of people like Ruth Patterson and Gregory Campbell and the massed ranks of Orangeism/unionism that they are so morally superior to Catholics/nationalists (after all, that’s what the 3,000+ drum-banging sessions are all about) that sharing a civil word let alone sitting in the same church pew as idol-worshipping taigs is a painful and probably sinful experience - it has to have its roots somewhere dark and distant.
And in case you think it gives me pleasure to talk like this about the Twelfth of July and those who celebrate it, think again. All my life I've celebrated it myself. It's my birthday. Nice timing, Mammy.
Here, don't bring Jean Calvin into this! (or the apostle Paul, as your quote would have it...)
ReplyDeleteSee, I KNEW a clever Biblical scholar like you would spot that, Pete. That's why I set it up...
ReplyDeleteMaybe they could make Tom and Danny ride the goat or is that just the purple arch.
ReplyDeleteHow much disrespect is shown to the mass by shooting a family coming out of it?
ReplyDeleteYou were keen enough to equivocate your way around that. It's crystal clear that but for another accident of birth you'd have been a bitter orange yourself.
Ahh bless they're little pointy heads...
ReplyDeleteIn nomine Patri et Fili et Spiritu Sancti...maybe a ritual cleansing could be arranged by the Mad (bowler) Hatters.. a lam-begging or something like that...
Did you ever see anyone with a face more like a slapped arse that Ruth Patterson...?
Are they all always so aggrieved...?
OK I'm going before you tell me off for 'splenetic' whatever..whatever it was it sounded painful...
NIronic birthday...!
Her name is Tara Mills, not Sarah. You want to get THAT right Jude?
ReplyDeleteIf you are going to criticise people Jude, you should at least make an effort to get their names right. Sarah Mills is a fairly well-known English actress, while the Good Morning Ulster presenter is Tara Mills.
ReplyDeleteAnon 3 June 12:25 - my apologies. Thanks for the correction. Mea culpa ( that used to be part of the Mass, you know...)
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said... Thank you too, and you're quite right - I should be more accurate with names. Btw, I think the fairly well-known English actor (we call them all actors now, actually) you have in mind is Sarah Miles...
ReplyDeleteIs this the same Jude Collins who jumps to attention every time a Radio Ulster producer calls?
ReplyDeletehahahahaaaa - Anonymous said -how well you know me! I like to serve humanity in any role, however humble...
ReplyDeleteMaybe in the interests of Diversity Equality and Austerity the Orange/festers (snigger) could combine with Gay Pride this year and march together to celebrate their illustrious ancestor 'Billy the Pink'...and call it Prod Pride...?
ReplyDeleteThey could have lovely orange and pink feather boas and turn it into a really fun day...oh hang on...!
btw is there really a (Billy)goat...? hilarious!
Jude,
ReplyDeleteI'm shocked. Of course I know what a crazy backward cult the Orange Order is, but stuff like this, is in your face.
Here in Dublin people would be very shocked with this story. We of course have been bending over backwards to reach out to Unionism and we don't realise the depths of their negative mindset. Of course it will get no publicity down here as the media contuine their love-in with all things loyal.
Is the goat called Billy the Kid...?
ReplyDeleteJim Farrell
'People in Dublin will be very shocked with this story'...I don't know to whom or which medium you refer to...
People in Dublin should be shocked but they will never get to hear about it through the mainstream media...
Have you read the Irish Times recently...?
The majority of Dublin meeja luvvies couldn't give a Continental about 'the North' as they call it...and say so with impunity...
The IT in particular has a distinctly middle of the road Unionist bent...hardly surprising given the number of NIrish journalists on it's staff...
The bloggers and so called 'colour writers'...one of whom routinely refers to SF as 'Shinners'...openly sneer at Republican views...
You never see an Opinion piece sympathetic to Nationlism/Republicanism...other than John Hume who is regarded as one of the latter day saints...
Until it comes to claiming credit for the Peace process that is... when more people than claim to have been in the GPO on Easter Sunday 1916 jump on the Bandwagon...
Despite it being called the Hume/Adams accord credit is never accorded to Gerry Adams...
The quality of the 'venerable organ's' Politerati is flaccid to the point of erectile dysfunction...
Anyone aho has the temerity to challenge their view/s is either not published or ridiculed by so called journalists using 'Gerry Adams'as a
spoof name...and this from the National paper of record!
As for RTE well nuff said...no doubt you saw the recent cringefest...
Now I'm annoyed...Hmph!
James - thanks for thoughts. I think a key point I didn't mention is that some unionists would claim that it's perfectly within the rules for Orangemen to attend Mass. While this would be the neighbourly and civilized thing to do in any number of cases, the point is that the Orange Order rules FORDID it. I've just had a tweet saying that T Elliott and his Deputy attended but DIDN'T PARTICIPATE, and that the rules forbid only participating. Eh? To attend Mass is to participate in Mass. Anything else is angels dancing on pinheads ( I'm restraining myself from an immature comment...)
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...Where DO you get the energy?? You're a very funny person/writer...And you're dead right about the IT. As to the VO, you may say that but I...
ReplyDeletePS - James - is it not possible to comment on your excellent Blog? I really wanted to say Hooray to your stinging Bruton Boys piece...
ReplyDeleteI don't know...I'm wore out...!
ReplyDeleteJohnny Rotten once said 'Anger is an energy' and someone else that 'Humour was disguised anger' or something like that...so between the two...
I'm still hyperventilating after that little outburst...
As for the VO...WELL!
The Royal Purple Arch is a senior branch of the Orange Order.
ReplyDeleteIn reality, and after the gravity of his obligation is impressed upon the Arch Purple candidate, the assembled Chapter gather at the back of the steps ('Jacob's ladder') and unfold a large canvas blanket. The blindfolded initiate, who has his back to the blanket is then told to cross his arms whilst still kneeling upon a representation of a coffin. He then receives a violent push backward unto the blanket. Here he undergoes one of the most painful and humiliating experiences within the Royal Arch Purple ceremony, when he is brutally kicked and tossed upon the blanket by the assembled Chapter for a number of minutes. This practice is known as "riding the goat."
In the words of what was that old guy's name: I don't believe it...
ReplyDeleteTry this Jude
ReplyDeletehttp://m.guardian.co.uk/uk/1999/oct/24/northernireland.theobserver1?cat=uk&type=article
I`m pretty sure the Orange Order sent their sympathies to the Kerr family and the media is simply hyping this up for a headline. A Presbyterian minister and member of Orange Reformation, the Free Presbyterians and the Evangelical Protestant Society all voiced their opposition to attendance of the Mass whilst offering their sympathies to the Kerr family on their loss. Theological difference does not mean you cannot be neighbourly. The headlines are misleading in that they are laying this at grand lodges feet when in fact it is a local lodge who has written to Grand Lodge and as such the matter will be raised and discussed but since their is precedent here where Stephen Mountray of the DUP, an Orangeman attended the funeral of murdered policeman Stephen Caroll and of David Trimble attending the funerals after the Omagh bomb I doubt their will be any action taken. The rule about not attending is about the Protestant belief that the Mass is idolatrous and as such attending the event is endorsing it and leading people astray from salvation (the rule needs updting to reflect the multi-faith society we now live in). Every lodge meeting opens with prayer that our Roman Catholic brethren, non practising Protestants and Others might `become wise unto salvation`
ReplyDeleteanonymous you would probably be better reading the guys actual website at http://www.evangelicaltruth.org.uk/
ReplyDeleteit`s not 100% accurate but some of his points are valid - but then again he believes the mass to be idolatry......
anonymous says: `The Royal Purple Arch is a senior branch of the Orange Order.` Actually it`s a separate institution in Ireland - in Scotland it is the third degree of the OO.
ReplyDeleteKilsally - I'm concluding, then, that the Orange Order believes all Catholics will burn in hell. I'd prefer to conclude otherwise but it seems unavoidable. Also appalling.
ReplyDeleteAnon 15.49
ReplyDelete'Crings! Jivens! help ma baob'...
That sounds 'cultish'....What a load of 'tossers'..!
The real issue here should be the grief of the Kerr family . Sadly the divisive media ,whilst aiding their Republican friends, have tossed this to the side to instead pursue their agenda of trying to tarnish the Orange Order. I could not, in good conscience attend the mass, but this would not make me disrespectful if I did not attend the funeral of the Catholic thereof.
ReplyDeleteFrom Richard