Saturday, June 25, 2011

RELIGIOUS protesters prayed at the gates of University College Cork (UCC) for the second day in a row yesterday as a controversial image of "Our Lady of Guadalupe" went on display on campus.

Mexican-born artist Alma Lopez’s digital print was among 12 of her art works displayed on the second floor of the Rahilly building as part of an academic conference on Chicano culture — US citizens of Mexican descent.

The exhibition sparked controversy earlier this week after the Bishop John Buckley of Cork and Ross described the Our Lady image as "offensive".

But it attracted a steady stream of visitors throughout the day. Most dismissed the controversy and urged those protesting outside to open their minds and visit the exhibition.

The group of some 20 or so men, women, children and priests who braved the rain to pray decades of the rosary at the university’s main gates, refused to view the image.

They held placards denouncing it as blasphemous and distributed literature to passersby.

Mary Wrenne, from Ballincollig, Co Cork, clutched a statue of the Virgin Mary and vowed to continue her protest tomorrow.

"As a woman, I am offended by this image," she said.

"This exhibition is extremely disrespectful to the Mother of God."

Fr Francis Gallagher, a member of the Society of St Pius X, travelled from Athlone to join the protest.

"This is very offensive to Catholics. I am here to protest what I would consider to be disrespect towards the Mother of God," he said.

"Having her dressed in an immodest way gives a bad example." He said UCC authorities should have cancelled the exhibition.

"We have artistic talents because God has given them to us and we should use them in some way to glorify God.

"What this lady is doing certainly doesn’t do that. It’s not art — it’s some kind of gimmick."

Joe O’Connell, from Cork, who said he was a member of the Fatima Centre Ireland, said he has asked the gardaí to investigate whether the image was blasphemous.

John O’Callaghan, from Cork, said he has written to the President of UCC asking him to resign.

"Our Lady has always been held in great esteem by the Irish," he said.

"But this exhibition is insulting and demeaning to all our histories."

A member of UCC’s Atheist Society supported their right to protest but criticised their stance, and the current blasphemy laws.

"We believe that religious and nonreligious people alike should be protected from harm, and incitement to harm, but religions, just like economics and politics, should be open to criticism," a spokesman said.

Ms Lopez said the image does not represent the Mother of God and was never intended to offend.

"I never intended to offend, desecrate, blaspheme, or disrespect anyone’s religious beliefs with this image," she said.

“Respect for Mary, the Mother of God, is bred in the bones of Irish people and entwined in their lives”

Bishop Buckley

The Chief Superintendent of the Gardai in Cork has confirmed to the ACLI that there is an ongoing investigation into allegations that a proposed art exhibition at University College Cork will contain a blasphemous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and that a book will be promoted which also contains blasphemous matter. The artist will also give a talk which is likely to contravene the law given it will be about her work and book.

Under the Defamation Act 2009 section 36 (2) “publication or utterence of blasphemous matter” is a criminal offence. Numerous complaints have been made to the police following the announcement by UCC that a controversial lesbian artist, Lopez, has been invited to display her work and her book.

Bishop Buckley has spoken out in protest at the proposed exhibition saying:

“Respect for Mary, the Mother of God, is bred in the bones of Irish people and entwined in their lives. Irish Poets and culture held Mary in the highest esteem. It is regretable and unacceptable that this exhibition seeks to portray the Mother of God in such an offensive way.”

This exhibition was closed down in Santa Fe due to public outrage. Catholics are aware of the gravity of  blasphemies against Our Lady, which, as Our Lord revealed to Sister Lucy, fall into five kinds:

There are five types of offences and blasphemies committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary :
1 – Blasphemies against the Immaculate Conception;

2 – Blasphemies against Her Virginity;

3 – Blasphemies  against  Her  Divine  Maternity,  in refusing at the same time to recognise Her as the Mother of men;

4 – The blasphemies of those who publicly seek to sow in the hearts of children, indifference or scorn or even hatred of this Immaculate Mother;

5 – The offences of those who outrage Her directly in Her holy images. Here, my daughter, is the reason why the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspired Me to ask for this little act of reparation . .  (May 29,1930)

Lopez also promotes a blasphemous book entitled, “Our Lady of Controversy .”Irreverent” Apparitions”, making her intentions clear.

The ACLI is awaiting the decision of the Garda regarding pursuing the University and the artist in question for breaching the blasphemy laws. Given the outrage caused, evidenced by the number of complaints and protests made, and the intention of the artist and the University in promoting this work, it is unlikely that the exhibition will go ahead.

On the other hand it will make an ideal case for a prosecution, private or public, if it does.