This Is Normal

at

Yesterday evening.

Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin

Assistant Commissioner of the Gardai, Pat Leahy (top left) returned the heart of St Laurence O’ Toole, to the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Reverand Dr. Michael Jackson (top right), at a service  to celebrate its return after it was stolen by “persons unknown” in 2012.

Laurence O’Toole was a former Archbishop of Dublin and died in 1180. He was made a saint in 1226.

Yesterday: A Limerick A Day

Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews

Sponsored Link

69 thoughts on “This Is Normal

  1. dav

    I asked yesterday, so I’ll try again. I thought that Protestantism didn’t believe in worshipping relics & icons etc..

    1. Brother Barnabas

      not really worshipping it, though

      just a nice little knickknack or curio to have around

      (i’d say it’s a bit annoying to be called michael jackson)

        1. Brother Barnabas

          it would be a shame if he doesn’t incorporate some crotch-grabbing and heeeee heeeeees into his sermons

          1. Boj

            The acoustics for Earth Song would be phenomenal…
            Whoooo…
            WHOOOO…
            WHOOOOO…
            WHOOOOOO…
            (on a side note: the funniest Michael Jackson song ever is : “Have you seen my Childhood” (Free Willy OST)…no joke, the lyrics n’all craic me up. And of course you need to stick it to the end for the shaky throated cry-sing outro.)

            edit: Free Willy 2 OST, apologies for any confusion.

    2. newsjustin

      Anglicanism is, and certainly large portions of the church view themselves as, a continuation/variation of the Catholic church. While Anglicanism did indeed start off with widespread and appalling iconaclasm – the smashing of statues, destruction of paintwork, demolition of shrines, etc (not to mention persecution of the Catholic faithful), the Anglican churches are to be applauded for, in later times, safeguarding many formerly Catholic churches and cathedrals (and remaining icons and relics) for the faithful and wider society.

      You’re correct that anglicans traditionally did not place much value in these relics. But thankfully this has survived and they see the important cultural and historic value of it.

      1. newsjustin

        As a further example of the respect the CoI has for tradition, the choir sang the Te Deum – the Christian church’s great hymn of praise – as the relic was being returned.

        Most Irish Catholic bishops would have a stroke at such displays of tradition.

    3. The Old Boy

      The Anglican position, certainly within a more High Church institution like Christ Church, is that while the “Romish doctrine” of the worship and adoration of relics is prohibited under Article XXII of the Articles of Religion as being “a fond thing vainly invented, and grounded upon no warranty of Scripture”, they may be kept as “a visible, tangible reminder of the communion of saints”.

    4. Janet, I ate my Avatar

      Church of Ireland and England are just a result of Henry the 8ths need for a divorce and cash. They kept a lot of the mumbo jumbo.
      ” Real ” protestants protesting the fundamentals ie icons etc following Lutheran or Calvinist doctrine like Presbyterians would not for example hold truck with icons or indeed even a crucifix ( false god or idol in church )

      1. The Old Boy

        Until relatively recently, much of the rural Church of Ireland was fiercely against idolatry, with any minister attempting to introduce ornaments such as crucifixes meeting with fierce local opposition.

        As far as I am aware, Lutheran churches can be quite richly ornamented with crucifixes, and ministers wear Roman style Eucharistic vestments.

        1. Janet, I ate my Avatar

          I do not know that
          My info based on being a Dub and brought up Pres ( so not biased lol );)

          1. The Old Boy

            The vicar of my local C of E parish recently installed a large plaster icon of Mary in his austerely Protestant early Georgian church without causing so much as a raised eyebrow.

          2. Cian

            In the last week I’ve learned that
            a) the majority of the regular decent posters here either did Art in Dun Laoghaire (or at least hung out with the artists in Bakers);and/ or
            b) are Prods (or were raised prod)!

          3. Brother Barnabas

            i had a… not an aunt but one of those elderly relatives that you’re not quite sure what the relation is who lived across the road from bakers. never drank there – i’d be a bit too posh for bakers. went as low as the grange on occasion.

          4. Janet, I ate my Avatar

            where you the auld fella wearing nothing but the raincoat who sat on the wall across the road winking at the ladies

          5. Cian

            it also strikes me that if there have been shared pints amongst these ‘anonymous’ online posters in real life…. there is a good chance that there have been shared, ahem, precious bodily fluids too.

      2. Pip

        C of I not too keen on crosses with Jesus on them – the empty cross is used as a symbol of life.
        On a lighter note, one imagines Bishop MJ’s response to being teased about his name… “No, no, he was whiter than me”.

  2. ReproBertie (SCU)

    I find it absolutely hilarious that this was returned because the traveller gang that stole it had a bunch of people die from heart failure and believed it was cursed. (The belief in the curse I find hilarious, not the deaths.)

    I guess Batman was right about criminals being a cowardly, superstitious lot.

    1. missred

      Or maybe they just couldn’t find anyone to buy it.
      The superstitious thing sort of does hold up for anyone who really believes in curses though.

    2. Murtles

      Hehe I was going to mention this RB and voice my suspicions that the thieves must be of a certain ethnicity that are of a superstitious nature.

    1. Cian

      Cops never held ceremony when they gave CoI back their stolen heart-thingie.

      I think the issue is that *you* never held a ceremony when you got your bike back.

        1. rotide

          Their early work was a little too new wave for my taste. But when Sports came out in ’83, I think they really came into their own, commercially and artistically. The whole album has a clear, crisp sound, and a new sheen of consummate professionalism that really gives the songs a big boost. He’s been compared to Elvis Costello, but I think Huey has a far more bitter, cynical sense of humor.

          1. Jasper

            In ’87, Huey released this, Fore, their most accomplished album. I think their undisputed masterpiece is “Hip to be Square”, a song so catchy, most people probably don’t listen to the lyrics. But they should, because it’s not just about the pleasures of conformity, and the importance of trends, it’s also a personal statement about the band itself

        2. Brother Barnabas

          aren’t they from san francisco?

          nonetheless, sheik, i do a mean karaoke treatment of power of love. if there’s ever a BS soirée, perhaps you’d join me in a duet?

          1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

            I’d love a go at “You’re The Voice”. That’s some song to sing on the open road, I can tell you that for nothin’. The bagpipe solo’s my favourite bit.

          2. Sheik Yahbouti

            Nah, I’m too old and too kippered from smoking to sing :-) I just like a good choon, like Walking on a Thin Line, which shows the edgy bitterness rotide spoke of.

          3. scottser

            andyourpoint – if it’s a bagpipe solo you want then ‘it’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock n roll’ by ac/dc is your only man.
            actually that would make a nifty golden discs friday competition..

  3. Gay Tea Shop

    Did the cops make any cardiac arrests?

    It would make a great REPEAL mural in the Liberties all the same.

  4. petey

    my parish was originally st laurence o’toole. then the jesuits got it and renamed it after that basque guy.
    i ask you.

    1. Janet, I ate my Avatar

      Basques were found to have the highest incidence of Rh negative blood of any people in the world, significantly higher than the rest of Europe….aliens

    2. Pip

      Aer Lingus have a long haul Airbus A330 called St Laurence O’Toole.
      Its predecessor was a Boeing 707.

    1. Janet, I ate my Avatar

      one day hopefully soon everyone will think this is just as mad and surreal

Comments are closed.

Sponsored Link
Broadsheet.ie