Séamus Ahearne: …searching for adults … amongst other things…

IS THERE ANY ADULT IN THE ROOM?

Is he the ‘Village eejit’ or the ‘Court Jester’? Or possibly such a description is unfair, as these characters, could be seen as rather harmless. Trump isn’t harmless. He is a windbag, but his stupidities are rather damaging. I have a thought, that he is playing a figure (a hero) from the past – a Gunslinger or a Wild West personality, riding into town, to put the frighteners on everyone. Our Cowboy isn’t a work of fiction, but rather the noisy bully, who is wallowing in his own propaganda. He showed no courtesy or respect to Zelenskyy. He invaded Venezuela and kidnapped the President Maduro. (Starmer – the charmer, couldn’t condemn this, because he needed more information!) Or so he said.

Starmer couldn’t see the obvious. He had to massage the ego of baby Donald; the ultimate Colonialist. Trump could do it. He did it. He is now as good as Putin. Why not Greenland? If people disagree with his views, he can slap on more tariffs. He met the leader of the opposition from Venezuela, Machado, and was offered the medal from the Nobel Peace Prize. He wanted a rattler. Our baby needed comforting. And his fan club tell him that he is the best. That no one ever was as good as he is. I wonder is the reality that the American people have a secret delight in admiring the rascal; the fool; the gangster; the outsider; the School Yard Bully. It avoids reality and is steeped in the myths of the past. This is a hankering back into fantasy land. I begin to think that Americans like to believe that they can do anything, anywhere. Bombast galore. They are the best. How can a people be so utterly ridiculous? And then there was ICE. I always thought that the way to deal with the schoolyard bully was to stand up to him/her. America, you have left the whole world down. ‘The lunatics have taken over the Asylum’ (Fun Boy Three). Poor Donald is a neurotic grasshopper.

FEMALE DEACONATE +

Liz Dodd has written rather aggressively on Nuns as Women, and with some distain on that recent Report concerning the Deaconate for Women. (The Tablet). It is hard to disagree with her assault. Her reasoning is very clear. My only hesitation is my belief that there is a need to move away from the rigidity of our understanding of priesthood and of orders, in all aspects. Orders is more about structure and organisation than an indelible mark! It can’t be about gender. That is something culturally conditioned. There has to be an essential evolution in terms of need and in a theology, which unfolds the meaning of ministry in a different era. Ministry serves the person of Christ and the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are still caught up in the panoply of a bygone age. And we make it sacred. But it isn’t. The Royal Court paraphernalia, still intrudes.

THE CHURCH IS CORRUPT!

Tommy Tiernan has reappeared on TV with his Interviews. I think the format is excellent. He is good. I haven’t seen the Third Half for the past few weeks! I did see Soline Humbert. Soline is very convinced and convincing on her own call to priesthood. Tommy cheaply and stupidly asked her why she stayed with such a corrupt body as the Church. He was trying to provoke her, which is what he does rather well. He did something similar with Linford Christie. He wasted time indulging in puerile nonsense. But as we often used to say – Tommy you are better than that. He needs to grow up from his giddiness on sexual matters.

SALESIANS:

I began to think. The Salesians are leaving Finglas. They are very upset. We are very upset. We recall what they have meant to our Community since 1990. They have been women of great faith, great humanity and great humour. Tommy’s comment is trite and ignorant in this context. Corrupt!!! Sr Madeleine (A Salesian) has died today. She was 93. She lived here in Finglas for years. This Salesian lady was brilliant. She was loved and most lovable. Her presence meant so much to everyone. She was the exemplar of what a Religious might be. I use a phrase (rather too often) – she was wild, wicked and wonderful.

WE ARE GRACED BY THE CHARACTERS OF LIFE:

Paddy Kelly (Redemptorist) has semi-retired. His body began to protest when he passed the 80^th birthday. Paddy has worked with Travellers for over 40 years in the area. He knew every family, knew their history and was there for them, in every circumstance. Is this part of the corruption in the Catholic Church? In this new world where chaos reigns – the values of Christianity are much needed. The Salesians,  Madeleine, Paddy are the characters of life, that become a Sacrament of God’s presence. The Word of God becomes Flesh in them. And has done so.

WHAT DOES FAITH LOOK LIKE?

Here are some of qualities/attitudes of faith: The sense of wonder. The sense of love. The sense of beauty. The sense of care for each other. The sense of poetry in daily life. The sense of the extraordinary in the ordinary. The sense of the music of each day. The Corruption is not in the Mission and lived expression of God in the Church, but rather in those who trivialise the Godliness of life. How many youngsters now are deprived of this wonder/beauty/music of God in the new Culture? I think that this is what Corruption means.

THE PRIVILEGE OF MINISTRY:

I am touching into 80 too. Every day of my life, I meet a living God in the lives of those here. In the Team I work with. In the people around me. In the celebrations we do. In the homes. In the funerals. In the hospitality of life. In the Schools. In the Nursing homes. In the hospitals. There is a revelation of God daily. I am privileged and blessed each day. The Church in us has a song to sing. I tune in and the harmonies take up the sound. Sometimes, people get caught up in a different world and are too busy to notice the God of today. They embrace the fashion and culture. It is convenient and loses so much. This is corruption.

PAY ATTENTION; BE ASTONISHED; TELL ABOUT IT.

Of course there are problems. Of course there is impatience with how the Church goes about its business. Of course, mistakes are made and there is a wrong focus at times. But for those who know; those who can see; every day is a gift; every person is a gift – and we are graced. And are not corrupting or corrupted. Mary Oliver has these very simple words: ‘Pay Attention. Be astonished. Tell about it’. Tommy Tiernan was rambling into the land of superficiality where God and Grace and Goodness are almost feared. But ignorance is not bliss. Bless him. He can play to the Gallery but tread softly, you tread on my dreams. That is the world of Grace and God.

Seamus Ahearne osa

20^th January 2026