In search of an anchor of permanence

As I was saying at the end of last week’s article, the turnout in the General Election was disappointing – 59.7%? Do we value our democracy enough?

On Morning Ireland (RTÉ Radio 1, Tuesday) we heard from Art O’Leary, CEO of the Electoral Commission, pointing that one of the problems outlined was inaccuracy in the electoral register. As these were managed by local authorities, there were, in effect, 31 separate registers. He envisaged that they would be moving to a centralised database. On the plus side he pointed out that there were over 400,000 new registrations. Mind you, he wasn’t sure but had heard that the existing register might be inaccurate by 500,000 voters!

The previous evening on Drivetime (RTÉ Radio 1) journalism lecturer Kevin Cunningham suggested that turnout tended to be higher among Mass goers because of ‘regularity in their regime’. Maybe so, but I’d say it has as much, if not more, to do with their sense of civic duty and commitment.

I also touched on migration last week and it came across my radar again. On Drivetime (RTÉ Radio 1, Tuesday) we heard of Ukrainian families being moved out of their accommodation just before Christmas – how heartless! Maybe hotel spaces are needed for tourism, but hardly at this time of year. Most of the contract terminations were from the Government side, with health and safety being quoted in some cases but this felt like an excuse. Locals seemed largely supportive as they have been elsewhere – they don’t like to see people that have integrated well into the community being disrupted like this. Some have taken them into their own homes. There were stories of students haring settled into schools, adults having jobs, an elderly person recovering from a stroke. I’m not convinced that whatever new Government is formed will do any better.

After being bumped aside for the election Our Diving Sparks (RTÉ Radio 1, Friday) returned with a timely item on what presenter Dearbhail McDonald called ‘the resurrection’ of Notre Dame – which reopened last weekend after the great fire of 2019. Fr Aidan Troy, who was ministering at a nearby church at the time, remembered the night of the fire and the palpable shock and ‘immense sadness’ of the people of Paris, whether religious or not. They referred to ‘our Notre Dame’. He watched the ‘raging inferno’ from a nearby bridge, and was so glad to return to watch the re-opening from the same vantage point. People, he said, looked for ‘an anchor of permanence’ and the cathedral would surely fit the bill. He was glad the Church insisted there would be no charge for entry.

There was also a charming item on a nativity play in Ennis Co. Clare, with children having lovely things to say about Mary – she was a ‘nice caring person’, ‘very kind’, with ‘a good heart’. One child was very wise – what with dirty nappies, snotty noses and lack of sleep, the role of Mary was easier to act than to carry out in real life! Theologian Gina Menzies was on hand for less inspiring analysis. In the past, she said, Mary was defined by a ‘patriarchal Church’ which emphasised meekness, submissiveness and obedience. Paul VI changed the emphasis, describing Mary as a strong woman and some modern theologians focused on her being initially disturbed by the news from the angel Gabriel, having questions about it, but the ultimate assent was only briefly acknowledged.  She also spoke of how we don’t know how Mary died – the Assumption surely deserved a mention!

On assisted dying Ms Menzies was impressed by the quality of the recent debate in the House of Commons. She realised that the Law Society and palliative care medics were against the current Irish bill and thought it should be scrapped, which I agreed with, but I wasn’t happy with her call to ‘start again’. She favoured the best of palliative care, always important, but also a Citizens’ Assembly (we already have one, Dáil Éireann!) While she understood the ‘slippery slope’ argument, she thought the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) system in Canada worked well, with its safeguards – I don’t think so! She thought all should have access to palliative care ‘and other choices as well to exercise autonomy’. That was worrying.

Finally, writer Michael Harding had a reflection on the end of life, describing death as ‘the terror of leaping into the light… into the mystery of deeper being’.

Pick of the week

RECLAIMING THE CAROL
EWTN Monday December 16, 8pm, also Tuesday December 17, 2pm
The late Charles Dickens returns to find that A Christmas Carol, and the holiday it celebrates, has become overshadowed by glitz and commercialism in this touching story about the true meaning of Christmas.

So This Is Christmas
RTE One Wednesday December 18, 9:35pm
So This Is Christmas follows a handful of people around Ireland as they navigate a complicated lead-up to Christmas.

Country Music Christmas
BBC 4 Friday December 20, 9:05pm
Country music’s biggest stars get together for a night full of festive classics, celebrating the joy of the holidays in true Nashville style.