Sometimes one just has to stand up and fight back and that time may just have arrived in Ireland. According to reports the Government plans to go ahead with the introduction of legislation that would oblige clergy (and who else? is anyone excluded?) to report to the police anyone who confesses to abusing children or rather to prosecute any priest who does not do so. I have already written on this matter. I wonder though was the Government deliberately trying to be insulting when it chose to announce this during the International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin. Recently the Minister for Health announced his plans to legislate for abortion. I was told by one of the speakers that they were all invited to a dinner with the Taoiseach last night. I hope they had the decency to tell him to keep his invitation. This is a Government that is quietly declaring war on the Church and the Catholic Faith. I hope we have the courage to give as good as we get. That said I wasn't overly excited by the Eucharistic Conference. I don't like big events with big crowds and I like them less as I move towards a crotchety 50. On friday I accompanied a fellow friar to hear another friar speak on the Eucharist and Meditation. As usual it was both orthodox and informative. What a shame they had to put him near the drumming group and then take his microphone away half way through his talk. Not impressive. I was surprised by the number of young people there (I saw two I know from the school). There was great energy and joy around despite the poor weather. I only got to see a small part of the stalls but at least I got to have a quick chat with the guy from Four Courts Press. If you must buy a book please make it an Irish book! Sadly somehow my Order failed to set up its own stall, a glaring omission that was noted by a number of persons. The biggest gathering of Catholics in Ireland since at least the visit of John Paul II and we were not there promoting our way of life. OOPS!