Wednesday 13 December 2017

MY UNUSUAL CHRISTMAS CARD

YESTERDAY I RECEIVED A VERY WELCOME - AND DIFFERENT - CHRISTMAS CARD IN THE POST.


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It came in this envelope - written on both front and back:


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IT ALSO CONTAINED THIS GIFT CARD



Can I, first of all, express my sincere gratitude to the person who sent it and obviously wanted to remain unknown.

I am very grateful for your thoughtfulness and deeply appreciate the thought that went into your sending it :-)

I see you mention my recent visit to the Shankhill Road in Belfast and my visit to The Rangers Club on the Shankhill for a pint with the locals. 


The pleasure was all mine.

And while I thoroughly enjoyed my visit at the human level I was also saying to my "Protestant", "Unionist", "Loyalist" brothers and sisters in Northern Ireland that I love you all as much as I love anyone else.

Little visits like this are important in the context of all the tragedy and sadness that has affected all our communities - and a gesture of the sadness I feel about all the terrible, hurtful things we have done to each other over the years and decades.

It's amazing how a simple gesture can sometimes mean more than all the bawling of our "politicians" on both sides of our divide.

From the human perspective - this is the nicest thing that has happened to me this Christmas.

Thank you. HAPPY CHRISTMAS XXX

45 comments:

  1. Slow news day Pat????

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  2. You're very welcome xxoo.
    ....Noel

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  3. Does your "black" jacket not need to be properly dry cleaned?

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  4. Pat, what was in the Irish News about you yesterday ?
    I don’t buy papers.

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    1. I think it was a story a out Amy reporting the Blog to the PSNI and the PSNI and the PPS deciding there was no case to answer

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    2. If you bought a paper you wouldn't have to ask..

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  5. Not allot to add to this. Christmas good wishes to one and all. Perhaps some denominations think they own Jesus but the Christ Child is the Lord of all

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  6. Yes, there are also more ecumenical efforts being made at this Christmas season than at most of the rest of the year. It is lovely to attend some of them and read of more. It keeps us all extra busy but it can be heartwarming and worth it. It should be both a chance to reach out and share but also to let others see us see at our very best.

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  7. Glory to God in the highest and good will to God's people on Earth!
    Lovely sentiments expressed in today's blog.
    Maybe we can all share some of our goodness with others in these Advent days.

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    1. I agree, I remember the lovely story of the truce in the first world war when soldiers on opposing sides played a football match with each other on Christmas day.
      Love will always overcome evil.

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    2. Yes... and there were the soldiers who sang Silent Night across to each other in their own languages...

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    3. I can remember a time when the terrorists here had a truce over the Christmas holidays. Young people may have forgotten those days but I remember them well.
      I pray for peace everyday.

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    4. Yes, maybe next year Sainsbury’s or Tesco could chose the story of Pat Buckley getting an anonymous Christmas card from a tanked up loyalist as the basis for their Christmas ad campaign?

      You know - snow falling, the Sash being slowly played on a mournful harmonica, big bruiser with a skin head, UVF tattoos, big red face, Rangers top, beer belly, staggering towards a Shankill post office, clutching the precious card in his sweaty paw, a can of Tennents in the other?

      Won’t be a dry eye in the land.

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    5. I remember the 2 churches in limavady the Catholic and Presbyterian the ministers visited each other's churches to wish happy christmas . Didn't work out too well so much for good will to all men

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  8. You and the head-the-ball who sent the card are welcome to each other!

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  9. Pat, I am wondering what is your personal motto as a bishop. Do you know of any list published of convicted priests? I think this resource is badly needed.

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  10. Hard to win Pat....Some will be friends, others just sheer nasty and jeering. Then Pat, a lit of the content and approach on this blog encourages much cynicism and nastiness. Sadly. It would be helpful if we allowed Advent goodwill to grow in all our hearts.

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    1. I agree with you 12.09- If you call other people names, you might expect the same to be measured out to you.... it you show love and compassion to others, you might expect love and compassion be shown to you. God bless

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  11. Anti-Catholic blog and author greeted by anti-Catholic groups. Birds of a feather ................!

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  12. Sadly, on this blog, there are too many who just want dirt, muck raking, innuendo, gossip etc...Why can't we simply encourage good will, mercy and gospel kindness at this time of year? We need uplifting, not to be beaten down with crass, ignorant and contempt. Is it too much to ask, Pat?? We need light in our darkness, hope in our despair and healing in our hurts!

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    1. Anonymous 15.39 Do NOT worry the Church will still be around for a long long time it survives everything thrown at it by the Break Aways SSPX and all those who form taking part of the Churches history.
      But it is very good to have this blog because we need to keep on top of the "failed" clergy who cruise and the likes and when I see it on here I email the Bishop with it as well so he takes action.
      The Church is cleansing but not fast enough.

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    2. Many enjoy the "dirt, muck raking, innuendo, gossip etc." It's glorious.

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    3. SSPX... wall-to-wall pooftahs, you twit.

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  13. 15.39
    Well practice ( in words )what you preach, no need for your first statement .
    Peace and love to all

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    1. 16.03. I try to practice what I believe, not what I preach: (not in the business). The point I was making is that this blog is constantly filled with so much negativity, ill will, judgment, mocking and caricaturing others that it's good at this time of year to attempt to draw out some good qualities in each other....

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  14. What is the gift...in the gift card?

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  15. Long queues outside Easons Craigavon for Brian Darcy latest book signing today.
    Hope to join a queue for the signing off your latest Pat, some day.

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    1. I like brian D'Arcy but he dus rabbit on a bit . Jonny cash jonny cash philomena begley the show bands the gran the gran my mother n father worked so hard the Vatican hates me the Sunday world kriss krisstoverson joe dolan wasn't gay he gave me money for the wee gypsies did I mention I met jonny cash . Every book he writes is exactly the same

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    2. Brian D'Arcy is just another Buckley, except he stayed in the Catholic Church and tried to change from within, not with any great success but he has inspired many people and Catholics. I think he moans too much.....

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    3. Where did he park the Merc?

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  16. D’Arcy is just an oul doll in a habit. Bit like Daniel O Donnell. All the oul mammies like him. Real men walk on !

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  17. So why bother wth the tirade above, we dont need it, i always loved his inspirational masses at the grann, I miss him.
    My friends and I love country music, always have.
    All his books are different , this new one is lovely.

    I bought 2 books....lovely for a pressie for someone and for myself.

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  18. I can just imagine you,17:51, sitting at home knitting a wee pair of bootees in between reading the bodice ripping yarns of mr D’Arcy. A good suggestion. Don’t come out if Fermanagh. There’s a real world outside!

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    1. Sorry to have made you jealous! Don't turn bitter and for the record, yes we do appreciate how wonderful it is to live here. We certainly wouldn't change it and know how fortunate we are!

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  19. I wonder which of the Little Brothers - - the older one who was shopping, or the one who was dealing with the mice - - is the brother who is a monastic tailor?

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    1. I think the both brothers should leave the monastic robes in the cloth bale and dress in the 21st century, then there wd be less mice.

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  20. ".. fewer mice.."

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  21. 18.25 ... very good post, the Fermanagh people are lovely.
    I don’t live in that county but did go to the Sunday mass in the grann more than often and yes I do miss Fr Brian.

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