In Ireland, the future of the Catholic Faith is up to the Irish now

Irish and Irish Catholics are not  the only ones close to the Catholic faith. But it's something many of us have loved for generations and it has been force in every aspect of Irish life. Only time will tell whether Catholicism is reduced  to a trivial pursuit for the Irish in years to come. In Ireland, it's up to the Irish now. It won't be the English that will taking their faith away or robbing them of the richest part of their DNA, it will be the Irish themselves. 

In America, we have pockets of culture that have been transplanted that have a presence that is more authentic than the origin location. I remember traveling through Wisconsin where I heard there are Northern European recipes that can no longer be found in Northern Europe. Country after country in Europe is shown on travel shows where churches are all but museums. Some of the fallout is taking place here in America.

When we were little bitty kids, we learned the Hail Mary. It was easier than the Our Father and it was a prayer that honored Jesus's Mother. It was what we call a prayer for intercession. From the earliest days in Catholic School we learned that Mary would intercede for us, asking for us. At the same time, we were learning about Jesus and what he had done for us. As a little kid in a Catholic home and going to a Catholic School, there was many crucifixes around and images of Jesus. We prayed to the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. 

I've written a few posts like this one and I'd like to use this thought today to introduce my book, The Brown and White. My book isn't about faith and beliefs so much as it is about the life we lived at the time when I was in high school. But faith was at the core of our existence and a Catholic faith was at mine. In  truth, I'd like to go back and feel the faith that I had at that time. As an adult, I think it works a little different.  I think some of us, like Mother Theresa can feel disconnected at times and at other times feel in touch.  When we were kids, I think we felt in touch most of the time.

Forty plus years in the making, The Brown and White is a fictionalized memoir that tells the story of Collin Callaghan's freshman year at a Chicago Catholic High School. Collin is a white boy who is living in turbulent times in a changing city. He clings to his neighborhood and his family as he heads out each day with his classmates on the Brown and White, the ancient school bus driven by free-spirited Willie. Memorable characters abound as this story unfolds. Collin's lovable family, especially his Irish Catholic policeman father and his Irish immigrant mother face life together. Collin and classmates blaze their own humorous and passionate trail through the late 1960s. A unique cast of terrific teachers are there to see the boys through. Laughs and life meet readers head on as they travel on the Brown and White.
Copyright 2017, Sporting Chance Press