Prank phone call

Mystified incomprehension maybe. But the sniggering bit says more about the sniggerer than anything else.

I feel the same about atheists. That's not an attack, just an observation.

Mind you, I feel the same way about all religions. That, by the way, is not an attack, just an observation.

Mystified and sniggering incomprehension of Catholicism doesn't surprise me at all. A lot of it is mystifying and incomprehensible when compared with rational thought and real morality.

You surprise me. I had no idea Murdoch was a catholic. He may have been born one, but that is a different matter. The same goes for Rooney.

And I am not referring to legitimate criticism of behaviours from people who happen to be catholic. I am talking about the incessant and all pervading sneering comments and the hostility to anyone who is catholic in public life. At best it is a mystified and sniggering incomprehension.

If you haven't been there you won't know.

Exactly. We started criticising Tony Blair before he was a Catholic. And plenty of other public figures get constant criticism too, often with just cause. Most of the time I haven,t a clue what their religion is or even whether they are religious. It's usually irrelevant.

MiceElf there are so many Catholics in public life that it's no surprise that some of them come a cropper, or are unpopular for various reasons, e.g. Tony & Cherie Blair, Keith Vaz, Anne Widdecombe, Wayne Rooney, Rupert Murdoch, etc.

They are criticised for what they've done or said, not because of their religion.

I don't think it behoves any of us to make any sort of judgement about what happened as the only information any of us have is what in the media.

As for distaste and dislike, if you were a catholic in public life you would find that it is incessant. Sometimes overt, sometimes covert, but always there.

MiceElf that's a bit strong - I do not dislike individual Catholics but have lots of issues with the way in which the Church wants to influence the law in to take away women's choice - in the same way I don't dislike individual Jews but am intensely critical of the settlement policy of the Israeli Government. Keith Vaz is first and foremost a politician but I did read in the Guardian(so it must be true) that the family contacted him. Anyway, I am getting rather tiredof all the public posturing about this nurse - I don't understand how someone has time to write suicide notes but not to think about the impact on her children who are now just being paraded all over the show. Something doesn't add up and I'm sure there's more to come out - but come on, a close family and she doesn't talk to them about this or they to her

I think you are correct Annodomini. Such is the dislike of, and distaste for anyone who is a catholic in present day society, if he was really motivated anything other than wishing to support a family in distress, he would not be appearing at mass at Westminster Cathedral.

I think in this case, Keith Vaz is largely motivated by solidarity with the family as they have a common background. He can use his high profile position to make things easier for the family. I can't see that it's going to make any difference to him politically.

I too felt uncomfortable at the sight of Keith Vaz hugging the family, but we don't know he has an ulterior motive

Although I have to admit that it is probably an improvement on the days when those who committed suicide were not allowed by the church to be buried in hallowed ground and failed suicides were prosecuted.

I was surprised to find that JS only put the call through to another nurse who then gave out all the information. I wonder how this nurse is now feeling.

Bags I just hate the way this poor woman is being used by politicians. I just hope we don't get the full media treatment for her funeral.

While not wishing to detract from the awfulness of the prank phone call Jacintha Saldanha had other issues in her life including a dispute with the hospital about another nurse which was not settled to her satisfaction .

Even if it is politically motivated, so what? It's not as if we aren't used to politically motivated actions by politicians, and a political motive on the part of one person does not diminish or cancel out the motives of everyone else. I should think most of the people who go to the mass go to show support for Jacintha's family.

Besides, it depends what the political motive is. It might be a good motive all the same.

Keith Vaz' parents were from Goa and were of South Indian / Portuguse origin, the same as the nurse. The community is relatively small and very supportive to each other. They are both both Catholics. It is entirely appropriate that a service is held at Westminster Cathedral which is where Mrs Saldana worshipped when in London. Just because a politician does something, doesn't make it a politically motivated gesture.

I think it is a politically motivated gesture.

I have that same feeling POGS

Nonu Congratulations for next month. 42 years, about the same time I married my exhusband. I would have liked a stayer but I got a player, so he had to go.

Well put Faye

Nonu

42 years of fun, love, jollity and being spoilt rotten no doubt.

Riverwalk.

Thanks for the input I certainly didn't know Keith Vaz was Catholic.

Pogs as I understand things, the nurse in question was a devout Roman Catholic of south Indian origin, as is Keith Vaz, and Westminster Cathedral is the mother church of Catholics in England.

Tomorrow, a mass will be said in her name - seems entirely appropriate to me.

Only thing is Pogs , not a lot of people agree with me , most times . But hey , what the heck !

Haver a good evening I am off now , to be with DH . By the by this day next month I will have been married 42 years !!

fsmile] x

Nonu

Phew [ wipes brow emoticon]