There is one other thing that shows how religion is regarded in Ireland today: The power of the press on reporting clerical errors and wrongdoings. When the scandal about clerical abuse was broken by The Irish Times, there were people who would not believe it, they thought it was a scandalous story invented by the paper. They obviously paid no heed to the fact that the Times was and still is, regarded as one of the more respectable papers.

There is some form of church related scandal to be seen nearly every week now. If not a new story there there is an ongoing one which is being continuously covered. There was a time when stories like these were hushed up and some families were allegedly paid off to keep these stories out of the papers.

It is only in more recent times, when these people have come forward to tell their stories , that we can see just how much power the church used to have in Ireland, and just how much power they have also lost.

The fact is, some of us don’t think we need anything to follow any more. Life is so much simpler when you don’t have to think of greater powers or an afterlife. We don’t want to believe in sin and the greater good.
We want to be able to get on with our lives, do what we like and live life to the full. Religion gets in the way of that. Sunday mornings are easier to bear with no drone of a priest early on the morning. Likewise for special occasions and (ironically) religious holidays.
Yet we all can become very religious when it’s needed, think of how many people declare their love for religion when they want to be married!

Has our faith in the church disappeared forever or is this just a lull in our worship?

Humans are (unfortunately) very like sheep, we like to follow others and have something to work towards. It used to be religion which kept us on our toes, the priest was the be all and end all, a figure of power and might. Now with the numbers of religious vocations declining at a rapid rate and an aging priesthood it seems that we have decided to follow something else.

Perhaps it is because we have had to expand our religious views, there is not just one religion in Ireland any more, there are loads to choose from.

So we question ourselves more about whether we can be in the 'correct' religion as surely, we all think, these religions cant all be the right ones. Some of us have to be wrong!

It could be that we are afraid of joining the wrong one too, therefore worshiping a false god. 

Gone are the times of a son or daughter being held in high regard after joining the priesthood or nunnery. Nowadays parents are more likely to bring you to a doctor if you declare a calling to the religious life.

Of course I don’t think we should all be taking religion to the extreme like some of the images we get from Israel etc. I have seen images and videos of people ‘re-living’ Jesus’ last walk bearing the cross and being nailed to it also.
Imagine seeing that at the top of O Connell St!
But I do believe there should be more respect for religion in Ireland. Its not that it is non existent, in any town in Ireland there is always less graffiti and rubbish around the churches, although the same cannot be said for graveyards unfortunately.
They seem to have become places for ‘knacker drinking’ where youths conjugate to drink alcohol in little known areas. Now im not saying all youths do this, but some do.

But Jesus (supposedly) gave his life for us, he died for sins we committed. So where has the respect for him disappeared to in the last 50 years or so?
The generation before this one still holds respect for church holidays and actively participate in church activities. Yet how many younger people will obey church 'rules' such as fast days and refraining from use of contraception.

On Holy Thursday the off license in the town near me had three other people buying crates of beer and spirits in the brief time I was there. This was, presumably, to get them through the next day; Good Friday, where alcohol cannot be served. One day! Our nation cannot go one day without drinking, or at the very least, stocking up on alcohol in case they are in dire need of it.
Good Friday was also a fast day, where traditionally we don't eat meat. But look at any menu in a pub or a restaurant that day and you would have been spoiled for choice with any meat you wanted to eat. There would be, of course, a non meat alternative supplied but it is still a shame to see our holy traditions being overlooked.
But come Easter Sunday, we were all Catholics once again. This was a day for celebration, a day to go to the pub, to drink at home with the family, or to hit the dancefloor that night with your mates. Isn't it fantastic to be living in Catholic Ireland where we get this long weekend where we can so thoughtfully appreciate and celebrate being part of this religion

So Easter is nearly upon us now and the shops are filled with.......chocolate. Is it just me or has Easter become almost as commercial as christmas? The first Cadburys Creme Egg (the number one confectionary sold during Easter no less) was out....wait for it....before Christmas.

So have we gone too far? Thinking about the next holy celebration even before we have one over and done with?

There has been a backlash in recent years about religious feasts becoming far too commercial and Easter seems to prove this. While the retailers seem to think it is ok to force their products on us in 'celebration' of Jesus rising from the dead on Easter Sunday, it is a tad ironic that we are mourning his death just 3 days earlier. 

So just where did this association with chocolate eggs and Easter start? And how has it taken over so quickly? It makes me feel old just to look in the shops at the Easter decorations and I'm still a student! The Easter Bunny phenonomon also seems to have spiraled out of control, the shops are full of cutesy little Spring animals, all in shades of pastel, inviting us to buy them as 'Spring is here! Winter is over! It's time for Easter!'

But is this too far, would our Lord approve of this farcical celebration of Spring, which has pagan connotations by the way. 

Just how many children care about the celebration of Easter? It is supposed to be a day of celebration for the rising of Jesus, who died for our sins. Yet there is no sign of this in any of the shops around Dublin City. How are kids supposed to associate Jesus and Easter when all they see around them are bunnies and baby chicks.