There are too many Father Ted comparisons to be in the slightest bit comical at this point. Why? Because Dermot Morgan et al were JOKING. It was funny because it was intended to be an EXAGGERATION of plausible reality.
Then, today, the priests of Ireland (or, to be fair, at least some of them) announced - on the front page of the Irish Times no less - that when the drink driving limit was lowered they would be in danger of being over it because of having to drink wine at multiple masses every day and then drive around to the next church.
It is hard not to immediately question that whole transubstantiation thing on a day when priests announced that they do actually get drunk on the blood of christ, because it curiously has all the characteristics of heavily alcoholic wine (apparently it’s fortified with extra alcohol?).
Admittedly the story has led to an interesting debate on the nature of this fairly fundamental part of the celebration of mass, but once again it has to be said the Catholic church are doing themselves no favours. Even if you’re being kind and trying to avoid the obvious jokes about drunk priests and such things.
The thing is, they made one fairly basic mistake. They made a statement with no purpose. Press release - “priests say they may be over the limit”. Okay then, what is your solution? Clearly there is no intention of changing the vatican’s rules, so no non-alcoholic wine then. Clearly you’re not going to cut the wine thing out completely. So what, you’re suggesting that drink driving should be permitted if your blood alcohol level is raised by the blood of christ rather than, say, a few pints or a shot of vodka? Or do you want some sort of papal/bertal(tm) dispensation to get hammered and drive around ireland, no doubt causing multiple deaths while you’re at it, no the way to the funeral of yet another young person kiled by yet another drink driver (not you though, because it’s the blood of christ, so it doesn’t count???)?
In other words, all debate and educational discussion aside: What’s your point??
