Religious leaders can pay too much attention to the sexual mores of heads of government.
John the Baptist's treatment of Herod and Herodias shows what can follow. It has, in fact, gained him new respect, and halted, at least temporarily, the overall decline in public respect for the Catholic Hierarchy generally. It is worthwhile reflecting on why this might be. First, it is a time when gender relationships are undergoing rapid change in Ireland. A social and economic whirlwind, accelerated by a media revolution that plugs us into the mores of Beverly Hills and Monaco, has posed an unprecedented challenge to Irish Catholic marriage - especially for those under 60.