I saw on Vultus Christi that the Cathedral of Longford, Ireland, has burned.
Do say a pray for the folks there. That is a heavy loss.
The faithful in Ireland have really suffered lately.
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What a terrible tragedy. The Church in Ireland surely needs our prayers.
I found that Patrick Madrid also posted a video on this tragic fire:
http://salesianity.blogspot.com/2009/12/longford-cathedral-destroyed-by-fire.html
I hear the Cathedral Museum was also destroyed, which contained priceless historic artefacts, including the Crosier of St Mel [nephew of St Patrick].
There’s little doubt in mind that it was deliberate. What an awful tragedy, especially on Christmas Day.
Oremus.
Has the cause been determined? If it was deliberate, I pray for their souls! Poor Ireland, this is the last thing they need right now.
Yes, there is great suffering in the Church–in Ireland and the U.S. especially–and it is the liberal infection and modernism since Vatican II which is directly to blame. There is a great malaise systemically running through the veins and in the blood of the Church right now–it is tragic that such a magnificent institution–Divinely informed and inspired–could be reduced so quickly and so dramatically by the relative few, primarily liberal priests Bishops and Cardinals.
Not formally, but you can take it for granted that it was deliberate. With more abuse investigations in initiation, this cathedral may only be the first.
Or… we could wait and see what the firefighter report says.
Or… we could consider not acting like the Pharisee praying about how thankful he was, not to be a sinner like the publican.
Or… if we didn’t have anything helpful to say at a time of sorrow, we could consider not acting like Job’s comforters.
Honestly, there’s no tragedy bad enough that somebody on the Internet won’t decide to make like Christ the Judge on the Last Day. Shut up, if you can’t pray.
As tragic as the loss of this magnificent Cathedral is, it is amazing that there are those who lament its loss more than the loss of the souls of a great many of the parishioners who used to fill it. Yes, suburbanbanshee, this loss should serve as a metaphor that a much greater loss is going on in Ireland…
I second Suburbanbanshee. We could wait for some evidence before assigning this to fit preconceived grievances.
I third Suburbanbanshee! We should wait for the report on its cause.
Poor Ireland….Our Lady of Knock and St. Patrick, pray for the Emerald Isle.
It is interesting to look at the comments on an Irish blog in the context both of Longford Cathedral and the illness of Cardinal Daly:
http://catholicheritage.blogspot.com/2009/12/majestic-irish-cathedral-destroyed-by.html
The faithful in the entire world have suffered for the last fifty years, since after Vatican II we(the faithful) were led to believe that not only the Traditional Latin Mass was no longer, bit also, many devotions and traditions. When can we again go to the first Saturday Mass’s? Have we a crisis in the Church or have we not?
It almost seems allegorical, like the Cathedral of Longford, the immature in faith are loosing their faith in the immediate crises- as it also burns to the ground.