"I'm just a dirty Proddy.."

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rosebud77
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
R

Rosebud77

Guest
NB for those hot familiar with the term, this is an Irishism, term of abuse, meaning Protestant) This was said to me by a fine young woman as she checked my purchases at the supermarket. I wear a large crucifix etc and this was in Southern Ireland . She was in her 20s. And I was utterly shocked that this kind of thing was still happening in our schools. A while later when I moved to the west coast island, the kind man who helped so much with the house suddenly declared, “I am only a Prod” . A while later, an old man sat close to me on the wee ferry and started telling me to leave the island! Where to go and how to get there! I did not retaliate…Told hm that God brought me here … then he said. " Well, there are a few Anglicans around" and realisation dawned, I simply turned to him and said, " I am Catholic but there are many fine Anglicans and I count many as my dear friends. "
I am seldom online now and reading one of the many sad threads challenging one faith against another brought this to mind.
It reminded me also of the day I was talkng with an elderly couple in the ruins of one of the monastic houses I love. It emerged they are one RC one Church of Ireland. The lady said, " we are so few now and if we do not work together, we will lose everything."
That is my thought now too. And always it has been my way to say.," If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and strive to live His ways, you are my brother/ sister in Christ Someone else said to me this week that they are not ones for religion;go to mass sometimes, but believe in helping people. etc.
Oddly I have come to a tiny Irish island with a very rare history of intermarriage and happy co existence. The online census for 1911 lists religion and in some families, wife is RC, husband Church of Ireland, children some one, some the other. And they ad their neighbours thrived. What has done more damage in recent years has been the rebuttal by a new priest of the resolution adn agreement reached by the bishops not too long ago … I by the way cannot attend mass etc as my immune system is down and I am now a dedicated Solitary. vowed to this life. We need to make peace. (NB rarely online now so will not see replies, but please, peace)
 
Adding to this as cannot access the edit. The two Bishops came here and led a joint service and 8 sanctioning that; we have a lovely church C of Ireland and it thrived .New priest, new bishops and mass is now here in the former school.

No one is happy with it and we are so few here now on this island,

I was in Raphoe when there was the huge effort to reconcile neighbours. They did not try ti impose any common faith but to get community relations working.
 
No she was not; She was hurting. Interesting response from you as always though. The interdenom hostility is alive and thriving sadly and I will have no part in it but will love all in Jesus.
 
Last edited:
I don’t like to see people not getting along. If something haywire happened 500 years ago, the people today aren’t responsible for that. Most of them are just following the tradition they were born and raised into. I’m pretty sure my husband stays Presbyterian not because he has this huge attachment to the religion but because he has a huge attachment to his parents and especially his grandmother who he was close to as a child, who were all Presbyterians and his grandma very devout.

I took my father-in-law’s KJV Bible to the holy hour service last night and read some of it during Adoration and prayed for the deceased people listed on the Family page that go back 3 generations. The priest doing the Friday night Mass based his whole homily on a story a Protestant preacher told him, he knows the preacher through prison ministry. We’re not all that far apart I don’t think.
 
I would guess this is how it happened: There was no previous interaction. The cashier noticed that Rosebud77 was wearing a large crucifix, figured that she is Catholic, and it stirred up old prejudices. Perhaps her remark meant “You Catholics think I’m just a dirty Proddy.”
 
I don’t understand why they called you a “proddy”. You said you are a Catholic. Because of the crucifix?
 
I apologize for misunderstanding you.
It would be unacceptable language to use to a customer in any case…
Click to expand...
Yes.
… and would be grounds to lodge a serious complaint.
Click to expand...
and Rosebud77 seems ready to forgive the wrong and bear it patiently.
 
Last edited:
I have no idea about this really but maybe it was just anti-Catholicism in the sense that traditionally Catholics and Protestants had such a tribal divide. Anger at the crucifix as an intolerant symbol of ugly old times. Basically she was saying, ‘lay off’ ‘don’t stir the pot’ ‘that is all behind us’. Meaning she was probably more of an atheist secular type, Church of Ireland background. (even exCatholic??) But I defer to those on the thread who know more about the social, political atmosphere. My point is that Ireland is pretty anti Catholic these days - not from a “proddy” perspective, either.
 
Maybe in Irelend…not for America.

The Cashier wanted to either relate or defend herself so she wouldn’t be attacked. My friend wears a Franciscan Tao. The Trader Joe’s hippy thought it was a Tao as related to Confusious and was like “Woah you’re so cool for wearing a Tao” then went into some speal.

She corrected him that it was a Franciscan Tao and he refused to speak because “Catholics are so backwards”
 
Agreed, anti-Catholicism, anti-Christianity, is at an all time high in the US. It is down to one on one combat. I am still shocked by it. I pay quite a price for declaring myself a Christian in the public square from time to time. Still a vast majority of people are totally cool. But there are militants.

It is equally opportunity too: doesn’t matter if you are a Baptist, Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, etc. And on the list goes.
 
Last edited:
Good to know. Seems like perhaps the OP’s interaction has far more to the story than we’ve heard. It’d be a slightly unusual but feisable example in the US
 
FollowChrist34 said:
Agreed, anti-Catholicism, anti-Christianity is at an all time high in the US. It is down to one on one combat. I am still shocked by it. I pay quite a price for declaring myself a Christian in the public square from time to time. Still a vast majority of people are totally cool. But there are militants.
Click to expand...
Christians get more leeway than Catholics because of the Church scandals. In general, Christians are considered mostly harmless do-gooders who are stupid with their money (because of tithing). Catholics are considered evil child-abuse/abuse supporters who hate women/gays and other such nonsense. It is fully acceptable for anyone in customer service to be rude/dismissive to a Catholic where they’d be fired for being anything less than pleasant to a Moslem/Athiest. It also depends on where you are. Northeast/Cali you can expect extreme Anti-Catholic behavior as a norm. In the South Catholics get some grudging respect from Christians in the Bible Belt. In the Southwest where the scandals never hit and there are more hispanics, Catholocism is more normative and priests and nuns can wear habits without fear of being physically attached or discriminated against.
 
I am in the PNW, perhaps the most self-consciously secular part of the country. It is just this side of civic duty to think Christians are intolerant, anti LGBT, etc. etc. The big negatives are pro-life/anti-gay marriage/Catholic scandals/basically just ‘super judgmental’ ‘hate-filled’. Pretty simple stuff, drivel really. But passionately embraced. In itself a ‘moral duty.’
 
I rope the PNW in with Cali, but you’re right. In America what Rose describes is not shocking behavior, nor would it get one fired.

But I’m going to trust that Jack is right about Ireland, since he lives there and dismiss the OP’s complant as hyperbole.
 
Given the poster’s history, this is why I indicate there’s likey far more to the story than we’re being told. Somehow, she’s always being maltreated she’s always being disliked…which indicates to me, with your words, that it’s unlikely the story played out as she has described, even if the cashiere did say what she did.
 
I would be honored to be called a “dirty catholic” 🙂 Sort of.
 
Interesting responses. My point here was that we all need to stop attacking anyone re religion. I was as shocked as anyone else but felt and stilll feel my reaction was inadequate as she was clearly hurting and seeking comfort. I was shocked that tis was still going around in schools here.

No way would I have reacted as others here suggest. I chat with many about many things.

Again, my point in this thread was that we need simple unity and yes, to be here for those who are hurting.

Not how the thread developed.

And the encounter has made me more aware and more senstive to the needs of those around me.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top