So the bishop seems not keen on yoga – excommunicate me now!

I went to mass this week, for the first time in months. I’m not a religious person by a long shot but every now and again I like to dip my toe back in to see what it feels like.

And to be honest, I found the whole thing quite soothing. The choir was lovely and I found reciting prayers that I knew off by heart, along with everyone else, gives you a sense of belonging.

I was curious to see what the priest was going to give his sermon about, after all so many things happened last week which he could have touched upon. He chose to talk about the canonisation of Cardinal Newman in Rome, an event which I’m sure is important in the world of the Catholic Church but not so much to us, ordinary lay people. The man beside me fell asleep. I can’t say I blamed him.

In the interest of full disclosure there was another reason I went to mass. Earlier on in the week, The Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, had issued a public warning that yoga nor mindfulness was not suitable for schools. He said it wasn’t of Christian origin and that teachers should encourage children to pray the rosary instead.

This isn’t the first time Bishop Fonsie Cullinane has put his foot in it. In the midst of the hpv vaccine campaign he declared that it was only 70% safe and was encouraging teenage sex. Some people say he is cracked. I think he loves being centre stage.

I’ve done yoga before – excommunicate me now! I was useless at it. I’m one of those people who finds the idea of meditation and mindfulness really difficult. As soon as someone tells me to empty my mind a million thoughts come rushing in.

But for someone to tell me not to do it, not to let my children do it and instead tell them to pray to God, makes me incredibly annoyed and frustrated. But did the priest allude to any of this on Sunday? No, of course he didn’t. He bored us all half to death with tales of Cardinal John Newman and his sainthood.

Could he not have tried a little bit of damage limitation and said that you know, yoga and meditation were harmless pastimes but maybe we could say a little prayer occasionally as well?

I looked around the half empty church where the average age was 70 and thought unless you drastically rethink your strategy, once this lot are gone, there won’t be anyone new coming in to fill these pews.

I will still pop in occasionally but maybe next time I won’t go to mass. I’ll sit quietly, light a candle and say my own prayers.

But no meditation……obviously!

FOR SOMEONE TO TELL ME NOT TO LET MY CHILDREN DO YOGA AND INSTEAD TELL THEM TO PRAY TO GOD, MAKES ME ANNOYED AND FRUSTRATED