We Must be Talking

  Theological Considerations                Gerry OShea In a pre-Christmas address to a gathering of theologians at the Vatican, Pope Francis spoke about the importance of their educational role in exploring the complex relationships between God and his creation. He urged the assembled scholars to steer clear of esoteric ruminations and concentrate on making their findings accessible to all. He used the metaphor of light to illustrate how theology functions in the world, pointing out that it makes things appear without showing itself. “It works quietly and humbly so that the light of the Gospel can emerge.” Francis also stressed the need for more women theologians, proclaiming that, “There are things that only women understand, and theology needs their contribution. An all-male theology is an incomplete theology. We still have a long way to go in this direction.” The place of women in the Catholic Church presents t...

  The Revival of the Irish Language           Gerry OShea A central tenet of colonialism highlights the superiority of the ruling power in all facets of cultural expression. So, in 19th-century Ireland, the British overlords stressed in their words and attitude that their system of government, their literature, their games, their religion, and, of course, their language were far ahead of anything practiced locally. The Gaelic Revival, which included the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association and the emergence of outstanding Anglo-Irish writers like William Butler Yeats and John Millington Synge rejected these foreign suppositions of Irish inferiority.   The Gaelic League, founded in 1893 with Douglas Hyde, son of a Protestant rector from county Roscommon as president, focused on promoting the study and use of the Irish language. They got a positive reception in all parts of the island because the second half of the 19 t...