Heads you win, tails I lose…

Slow news weekend. So far anyhow. As an agnostic theist (trust me, there’s no fun in that. Or much consolation to be had either) I had to applaud the Archbishop of Tuam, Dr. Michael Neary’s pithy comment on the latest events, or should that be non-events, at Knock. For in the aftermath of its sudden location as a potential site of matters miraculous he said:

“It is not healthy, does not give glory to God and . . . is not good witness to the faith to be looking for extraordinary phenomena,” he said.

This was in the wake of the prediction by Dublin man Joe Coleman, self-designated “visionary of our Blessed Mother” that 50,000 people would turn out at Knock to see said vision.

Sadly his prophetic powers were a little off…

Up to 10,000 people gathered this afternoon in Knock in the hope of witnessing [the] visitation from the Virgin Mary.

And of the vision?

Mr Coleman left the shrine before 4pm, claiming he had witnessed an aparition, as he had anticipated. He said he had received communication from the Virgin Mary but insisted that he was as yet unprepared to reveal the nature of the message. 


But in fairness he had previously allowed himself an out… for:

…he warned that the visitation would only be visible “to people who come with an open heart”. 


That’s the… er [Holy] spirit…

I’ll get my coat.