During Pope Francis’s visit to Ireland last weekend, comparisons were repeatedly drawn between the huge numbers who attended events at John Paul II’s visit in 1979, and the much more modest crowds for this visit in 2018.
But the comparison of the two papal occasions was rather shallow. The context was so different.
John Paul II was the first pope ever to set foot in Ireland, since St Patrick evangelised the island in the 5th century. It was an absolute first.
John Paul himself was the first Polish pope – the first pope, for centuries, not to be Italian – and already a giant on the international stage. As subsequent history would reveal, Karol Wojtyła played a key role in breaking communism, and ending the Cold War.
Moreover, the first person in any sphere is always accorded more attention than the second, and the same acclaim is seldom given to a sequel event as to an original. Who was the second person to conquer Everest, to swim the English Channel, to run a four-minute mile?
And we are, obviously, in entirely different times. Ireland has grown more secular – though 79 per cent of the people still describe themselves as Catholic in the latest census – with the attendant shifts in attitudes.
The shadow of the paedophile abuses, and other corruptions of power, hang over the pontificate of Francis.
Yet apparently forgotten, in recalling John Paul II’s Irish visit, was his impassioned mission to end terrorist violence. He begged the IRA “on my knees” to cast aside violence.
It was just after the killing of Lord Mountbatten, and still to come were atrocities at Hyde Park, Brighton, Warrington, Enniskillen, Omagh and Deal – where I reside – and where 11 innocent bandsmen, mostly teenagers, were blown to smithereens in 1989 (a 12th died of wounds later). No one has ever been charged with this crime.
During Francis’s visit, Sinn Féin, the political heirs of the Provisional IRA, called for the Church to apologise and face criminal accountability for clerical crimes against children. I don’t know anyone who would disagree. But among the worst crimes against children is killing them, and that’s precisely what happened during so many of these acts of violence.
Surely accountability for the crimes against which John Paul II pleaded is also due? Sinn Féin could start by delivering to the civil authorities for questioning those commonly suspected of being responsible.
……
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown has written a book, In Defence of Political Correctness, making the obvious point that what is sometimes called “political correctness” is only good manners.
Quite so. And there is much previous form here, particularly in Christian traditions, where respect for disadvantaged persons was always preached as virtue. The word “cretin” was deliberately coined to teach people that mentally handicapped people were just as much “Christians” as anyone else. But when any system of speech or communication becomes rigid and over-euphemistic, there’s a breakout from the constraints, and thus a backlash.
……
As I have had cause to mention previously, I attend singing lessons to improve my breathing and to help my bronchial problems.
I thoroughly recommend singing for breathing. (I’m lucky to have an outstanding musical tutor, Avril Gray, who had such a distinguished operatic career.)
Recently, one of the songs recommended to exercise my breathing capacity has been The Deadwood Stage, which some might recall being belted out with startling energy by Doris Day in Calamity Jane.
It’s a brilliantly pacey song – sometimes called Whip-Crack-Away! – and you can see the great Day perform it on YouTube. What a gal!
The tune is so catchy that you can’t get it out of your head – what’s known as an earworm:
Oh! The Deadwood Stage is a-rollin’ on over the plains,
with the curtains flappin’ and the driver slappin’ the reins.
But there is a line which would be offensive to our more politically correct manners today. For the Deadwood Stage is rolling all over the hills, “Where the Injun arrows are a-thicker than porkerpin quills – Dangerous land, no time to delay…!”
In the clip, the poor Native Americans are seen as the threatening predators, which indeed isn’t entirely fair to history.
Areas of Catholic Herald business are still recovering post-pandemic.
However, we are reaching out to the Catholic community and readership, that has been so loyal to the Catholic Herald. Please join us on our 135 year mission by supporting us.
We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching.
We have been a bold and influential voice in the church since 1888, standing up for traditional Catholic culture and values. Please consider donating.