Today's Blog comes from Fr John Ahern parish priest at St Mary's Levenshulme

A Voice in the Wilderness

There are times I envy my Muslim and Hindu friends. As yet their great feasts of Eid and Diwali have escaped the clutches of commercialism. The spiritual significance for them is untouched by the pressure to buy and to inebriate. Not so us. Every year, the prostitution of Christmas to the jingle of tills is brought forward by another week, (Levenshulme lights a week earlier this year), another month, (Trafford Centre Crib appears last day of October), and consequently the saturation factor is worse by the year. The 'I wish it was over' syndrome hits home earlier.

I'm sick of Santa and Christmas socials in November. I'm sick of Christmas parties in Advent! When I was young, Santa got his work done in one night, now he needs to borrow a heavenly sleigh to 'appear' in hundreds of places at once!

I read in today's Irish Examiner that the new craze of Christmas shopping in New York has increased by 15% since last year. When our gullible 'yummy mummies' arrive in the Big Apple, they may not notice this and it will not bother most of them but they dare not wish the friendly 'have a nice day' apartment store attendant a.k.a shop assistant Happy Christmas - oh no- it has to be 'happy holiday' because you see Christ taken out of Christmas 'in the land of the free and the home of the brave.'

Many Irish people at home were now dropping the great Feast of St. Stephen; his day is 'Boxing Day.' St. Stephen is long gone from our calendar. Here in Manchester, even Irish and Catholic Clubs advertise 'Boxing Night Dos.' So it is kind of obvious that we are losing all sense of spirituality and faith from our feast, which has now returned to its pagan invernal dimension. Burger King, Budweiser King of the Beers and Lion King have dethroned Christ the King.

For those who are interested, Advent, the four-week period of preparation for Christmas begins on Sunday December 2nd and in your Local Church I am sure you will find efforts are being made to prepare for the coming of the Incarnate God - as the great priest John Betjman reminds us - 'Christmas happens everyday when Christ is born within us'- if He is not, then our holiday is nothing more than a hedonistic excess.

Revival of Mass in Gaelic

There was the lovely turn out at St. Mary's for the Mass in Gaelic on November 18th. Many people who had not been together in that context for over ten years were present. All who organised the leaflets, music, get together afterwards should take a bow your efforts were rewarded. The next celebration will be on Sunday February 10th at St. Mary's. Time, 3p.m.

Annual Get Together

St. Lawrence and St. Peter's GAA Clubs, The Roscommon Association and St. Anne's GAA Club all had very successful dinner dances. Well done to all the organisers. It is hard work these days selling tickets for these functions but when they are over there is a sense of satisfaction.

Good News From Cheetam Hill

The new centre is moving ever closer to being a reality. It is needed, and the sooner it is there the better. When it does happen it will be a triumph for patience and perseverance.

Food Scandal

Have you seen the scandal of dumping dead cod into the North Sea - a stunning world, people undernourished and badly nourished, fish prices through the roof and the neo-capitalist economic system that drives our world demands that fish be destroyed to keep the profit margins sky high for the dealers. This type of thing is truly the 'sin of the world.'

Quiet Witness

The Christian Brother Community are leaving Gorton and going to another place outside of Manchester. Two members of the community give sterling service to the marginalized of our society. Brother Edward Egan visited Strangeways prison Sunday after Sunday and was active member of Salford Faith-Justice Commission. Brother John O'Sullivan organises fundraising for Cornerstone and his work there is invaluable. The Irish Christian Brothers have been the subject of bad press over the past decade, some horrible things happened at the hands of some members of the congregation, albeit of a very small percentage. One case of abuse is too many but we should never forget the debt Ireland at home and abroad owes the congregation founded by Edmund Rice in post famine Ireland. The dedication of the vast majority of brothers and the education of the nation should never be forgotten. I have met wonderful men who belong to the congregation in Ireland, Buenos Aires, Chimbote and Manchester. I wish Brothers Edward, John and companions happiness in their new station.

Sporting Scene

All is relatively quiet on the GAA front here in Lancashire. John Mitchell's of Liverpool had a bumper year. The crowing glory was the acquisition of the all Britain title having taken Lancashire by storm. How proud must it have made Tommy Walsh and Chris Johnson? And how satisfied must all the players and mentors be? They have raised the bar. St. Peter's, St. Anne's, St. Brendan's, St. Lawrence and Oisins know now what it takes to dethrone the fleet footed Merseysiders.

At home the row goes on about players' grants with strike action threatened. Hopefully it will not come to that, and hopeful the amateur stations of GAA players will not be compromised.

Cork has gone on strike officially (unofficially the footballers went on strike at half time in the All Ireland!) on the issue of the coaches' right to select their own selectors. Billy Morgan is gone-he gave his all for the cause.

A great honour was conferred on the O'Se brothers of Kerry - the three of them were selected on players' and writers' All Stars and Marc being chosen footballer of the year crowned it all.

In hurling, Kilkenny took the Lion's share of All Stars but Dan the Man Shannahan deservedly won hurler of the year.

The great Ned Power of Waterford 1950s fame passed to his reward 'ar dheis lamh De go raibh se.'

In soccer and rugby Ireland is in the doldrums. The six counties soccer team have done reasonably well but we are a long way off from the glory days of yore.

Not Good Enough

Three words that aptly describe England's latest sporting representatives. No referees, no touch judge, no TV analyst to blame this time. As long as we have 'Glazers' from America, Mafia from Russia and Tyrants from Taiwan owning, Premiership Clubs whose main players are all 'extranjeros' the echoes of '66 will fade away like the morning dew. So it will be a dull European Championship. Beer sales should be well down. There will be no boys in green, no dragon, no thistle or no land of hope and glory. It will be just a case of what might have been.

Go Easy On Yourself

Take the run up to Christmas easy - the Good Lord never meant to harm our pockets or our health in celebrating this coming among us.

Go dti an cead uair eile go dte tu slan.

Fr. John Ahern