Holy Trinity 2009
June 2009
Thinking about the great hullabaloo, in recent weeks, over M.P’s expense’s allowances and how embarrassed they were when the details appeared in black and white for everyone to read and comment on. Obviously some were consciously stealing public funds and should be prosecuted like any ordinary thief but many were not consciously being dishonest and were making claims which were within the rules approved by Parliament. It was only when these claims were exposed to the common gaze that many were embarrassed and realized that there may have been some sort of injustice involved. The biggest discovery of all was that the rules themselves were inappropriate, out of touch and even unjust.
Every human institution and organisation has to have some rules and regulations. The problem arises when the rules and regulations become ‘embedded’ over the years and, in essence, take on more importance than the present needs and requirements of the individual members.
All rules and regulations need to be looked at regularly and changed in accordance with present needs and outlook.
This is true of all organisations whether it be government, church, golf club or family unit.
These are sobering thoughts. For instance how would some of the rules and regulations of the Catholic Church - say regarding marriage, regarding who can be accepted into the church, regarding administration and ownership of church property, regarding the position of women, regarding the rights of priests nuns, brothers and laypeople - how would these rules and regulations look, if spelled out in detail in the ‘daily telegraph.’
How well would the details of how our own parish of St. Patrick’s is run, stand up to the test of public scrutiny?
How well would the details of how my own family is run, stand up to the same scrutiny?
And most crucial of all, how would I like to see some of the details of my daily life appear in our weekly bulletin?
Nothing sharpens my jaded sense of right and wrong, of justice and injustice, of what is appropriate and inappropriate than a good splash of public embarrassment.
The universal reaction is; why on earth did I not examine and rectify things before it became public.