Comments on: The Bishop of London’s Sermon

By: Stuart Koehl

Stuart Koehl — Mon, 02 May 2011 18:41:43 +0000

“While I understand Ireland was badly treated by British Colonialism, I still question the wisdom of Ireland being neutral in WWII.”

Yet thousands of Irish fought gallantly in the British armed forces against Hitler. One of them was Wing Commander Brendan Éamon Fergus Finucane DSO, DFC & Two Bars, an RAF fighter ace with 26 aircraft confirmed destroyed.

The youngest Wing Commander in the RAF, he could frequently be heard exclaiming loudly in the pub near his base at RAF Redhill, “Thank God for Eamon de Valera! He kept us out of the war!”

Brendan “Paddy” Finucane was killed in action when his Spitfire, damaged by ground fire, ditched in the English Channel. His last words were “Well, lads, this is it”. He was 21 years old.

By: Peter

Peter — Sun, 01 May 2011 20:30:35 +0000

Nora, I live in the Boston area among not a few Irish folk who actually from the time of their arrival in the last half of the nineteenth-century have helped transform and vitalize the area whose Yankees had become rather enervated.

The Catholic Church in the area, though marred to some extent by a surfeit of liberalism, has actually outflanked the hopelessly ineffectual liberal Protestants.

While I understand Ireland was badly treated by British
Colonialism, I still question the wisdom of Ireland being neutral in WWII.

By: Ellyn

Ellyn — Sun, 01 May 2011 17:20:32 +0000

And speaking of the dress…one can pray that it ushers in an era of more modest and appropriate bridal gowns. (The tight, strapless, sometimes perilously close to topless bridal gown is at the end of the line. Please!)

By: Russ

Russ — Sun, 01 May 2011 09:29:39 +0000

For a far more insightful, informed, and Christian assessment, see Peter Hitchens. The ceremony was only impressive to the degree that we’ve forgotten they used to be:

http://hitchensblog.mailonsunday.co.uk/2011/04/they-wouldnt-have-thought-much-of-this-wedding-back-in-1953.html

By: David Elton

David Elton — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 23:39:46 +0000

Stuart Koehl: Yes, thoughts of Monty Python crossed my mind – Nigel Incubator-Jones and the church of St. Looney-Up-The-Creambun. But I also thought of Mark Steyn’s comment to the effect that most of the civilized places on the face of the earth were once, or are now, associated with the British Empire, while many other places continue to have a difficult time emerging from barbarism. God Save The Queen!

By: Nora

Nora — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 20:26:41 +0000

The homily was wonderful, it pulled no punches about the function of marriage and the risks of trying to make personal relationships the sole source of our happiness. Really liked the dress too, modest and stylish, hopefully it will spark many imitations.

Like Tom, I’m Irish and I agree Patrick’s comments were completely uncalled for. But Peter, the Irish nation were left with no choice but to be neutral in WWII because of the legacy of colonialism. It’s not a simple history, unfortunately.

By: Stuart Koehl

Stuart Koehl — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 18:47:31 +0000

I can hardly watch something like this without cracking up, ever since Peter Cook played “The Impressive Clergyman” in “The Princess Bride”:

“Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday. Mawage, that bwessed awangment, that dweam wifin a dweam… “

By: Tom Carty

Tom Carty — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 18:24:15 +0000

Patrick: I’m Irish myself and found your remarks embarrassing. Another time, another context, perhaps.Here, your words seem bitter and unfair to the Bishop.

By: Flyttefirma

Flyttefirma — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 18:00:32 +0000

I watched the whole ceremoni, it was nice to see the big show. And let me just say this is first time i actually saw the whole thing.

By: Peter

Peter — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 17:52:43 +0000

I too found this wedding moving including the Bishop of London’s eloquent homily.

Patrick, the British Saxons for all their faults saved western civilization during WWII, while the Irish nation for the most part sat on its hands. Shakespeare would be another example of English eloquence.