Pissing Off The Pope

Old Ratzinger must be getting his Fanon in a wad over these two stories. First, the largest Catholic University in the country, DePaul in Illinois, is now offering a Gay Studies major.

Second, in Ireland, once the crown jewel of European Catholicism, a new poll shows a majority of the Irish favoring civil unions for gays. Only one is six said that they felt that homosexuality was wrong.

When you consider that when I was born, in 1970, Ireland was the most actively Catholic country in the world, this is pretty amazing. But the power of the Church in Ireland has fallen like scales from the eyes. Part of this is due to the many scandals of the Church there, especially that of the Magdalen laundries. But even more profoundly, the Irish have embraced modern European life wholeheartedly. The result is a booming economy (for what was once the poorest country in Northern Europe) increased political stability, and a more tolerant and heterogeneous population (Plus Munster kicks ass in the Celtic League!). In Ireland, the Church once had the kind of semi-theocracy it would love to see everywhere. It failed. Ireland is the better for it, especially Irish gays.

But you nancy boys still aren't going to get their gold!