Tony Flannery

Back in ‘old god’s time’ in the nineteen nineties, I wrote a book about Religious Life, predicting that convents and monasteries as we knew them then were coming towards the end of their particular era. In other words, that the form of religious life that we have seen prosper in Ireland in the past two centuries appeared to me to be in serious decline, and maybe even facing extinction. 

Events since then have confirmed my assessment, indeed to a degree and with a rapidity that I would not have thought possible back then.

Open Air Mass

I know that screened Masses have served a purpose during the pandemic, but I, and I think others, have had questions about the long-term efficacy of these type of non-participary Masses. A few weeks ago I tweeted a suggestion that maybe people should consider open air Masses, and, to get over the problem of safely receiving the Eucharist, that people could bring their own piece of bread for consecration.

I am well aware that I have been neglecting this blog now for some time.  The reason for that was that I was busily working away on my book. Just a few days ago all ten chapters went off to the editor, for her to check over them. I have been working on this book, on and off, for a few years, so it was a nice feeling to press the ‘send’ button, and hear the swish as they all went off.