Don't let 'do-gooders' ban Angelus on radio

The county secretary of the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) has hit out at what he termed “so-called do-gooders and the politically correct bunch” who want the Angelus banned on national radio and schools removed from religious ethos.

Patsy O’Callaghan is urging Catholics to speak out against any such moves.
He made the remarks in an address following the annual celebration of mass at the Mass Rock at Cormeen in the Parish of Laragh. Said by Fr Brian Flynn, PP Laragh, the mass was attended last Sunday by scores of the members of the AOH, together with general members of the public.
Also a member of the Board of Erin, Mr O’Callaghan told those assembled: “We are here today to remember the generations of people who came here in harder times, when it wasn’t easy to be Catholic in Ireland and it wasn’t safe to be Catholic in Ireland and it certainly wasn’t safe to be a priest in Ireland.”
He welcomed the fact that Irish people are now free to celebrate their religion “openly without fear”.
However, Mr O’Callaghan warned: “But I would ask you not to be complacent because there are forces, certainly in parts of our media and in parts of our community, so-called do-gooders, the politically correct bunch, who don’t believe that our national radio should broadcast the Angelus or don’t believe that our schools should be of Christian ethos or teach any Christian religion.”
He asked those present to stand up and make their voices heard.
Brian Maguire, president of the AOH County Board, also speaking after the mass, revealed that, in the 1930s in Ireland, the Ancient Order of Hibernians had 60,000 members and 300 divisions. “It will take a good many Mass Rocks and a good few years to get back to that again but sure we have made a start and maybe someday we will,” he said.
American born John Shanahan is also a long-term member of the AOH. He urged Christians to remain united.
“We see a lot of challenges to unity. We see it in our own country, we see it in foreign countries, where people tear themselves apart over matters involving politics and security and who carries guns and who doesn’t in the United States. All of those things tear us apart and divide us and create difficulties among us,” he said.
He urged the congregation not to be separated from the love of God or from one another “in the work of our Order”.
One of the special invited guests to the mass was legendary Country Music Star, Margo O’Donnell, and the still air in the glen by the stream resounded to sound of her voice, as she rendered a number of fitting songs for the occasion in harmony with Benny and Rosaleen Comiskey.
Members of the AOH from Donegal and Tyrone and other areas swelled the crowd on the day at this historic location. Also present were Deputy Niamh Smyth (FF) and Senator Joe O’Reilly (FG).