Photo was taken at Limerick looking across the River Shannon, (Irl)

Another photo today of the fireworks that took place last Sat night in Limerick to mark the start of the St Patrick’s Day festivites.

Thought on Saturday – March – 20/03/2010

‘I know religious faith doesn’t have clear answers to everything and that life remains a mystery to us all but it does give a different perspective and an alternative set of values on which a person can base his or her life.’ ~Tony Flannery

This weekend the Pope’s letter of apology to Irish people can be interpreted in different ways. Firstly the Church is at an incredibly low point in its history, particularly in Ireland. The crisis is so severe that a recovery if any is going to be slow and painful. Confidence among people of all ages of anything to do with Church is at an all time low. Will a letter from the Pope make much of a difference? Probably not such is the appalling sequence of events over many years. The hurt, the sense of let down, betrayal of trust, abandonment of gospel values and pain is just too deep for so many, particularly among victims of clerical abuse. But maybe and just maybe the letter will be a glimmer of light and hope in the middle of an incredibly dark story. Faith is still important to many people. But so many have been let down. So many deserve much better. This weekend could be a turning point. We hope and pray that it will.